Novak Djokovic’s lifelong supporter and wife, Jelena, has been a constant presence since their high school beginnings. She remains her husband’s sturdy pillar on the heels of his early exit from the US Open, despite admitting the stresses of being his partner.

On Friday, Djokovic was ousted in the third round by Alexei Popyrin, who defeated the No. 2 seed in four sets (6-4 6-4 2-6 6-4). The pair of tennis stars previously faced off earlier this year in the second round of the Australian Open and third round of Wimbledon, both of which Djokovic won.

Addressing his shocking defeat, Djokovic conceded that he was physically drained from competing at the Paris Olympics several weeks prior to the US Open. He took home a gold medal in the men’s singles, describing the feat as the one of the greatest achievements of his decorated career.

“I spent a lot of energy winning the gold, and I did arrive to New York just not feeling fresh mentally and physically,” Djokovic told reporters.

Though Djokovic will surely not be pleased with his disappointing performance at Arthur Ashe Stadium, the Serbian will now be able to spend quality time with Jelena, who frequents the stands during his matches even if she doesn’t always enjoy the experience.

Jelena additionally supports her husband off the tennis court, such as when she donned a T-shirt proclaiming “I run with my wolf” amidst Djokovic’s high-profile Covid-19 vaccine controversy. The “wolf” reference perplexed many on social media until Djokovic offered clarity at Wimbledon last year.

Djokovic nostalgically recalled the time he saw wolves as a child, stating: “I’ve seen some wolves when I was a kid roaming the forests of the mountain where I grew up. That encounter left me frightened [but] even more connected with wolves. There is a connection, I personally feel it.”

He affectionately referred to himself as Jelena’s wolf, hinting at the complexities of their life together. “She runs with the wolf,” said Djokovic, admitting: “It can be very stressful to run with the wolf.

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“I know that she doesn’t enjoy it at all times. It’s kind of living on the edge with the wolf.” However, Djokovic expressed gratitude for all his wife does, adding: “I love her, she’s my great support.”

Speaking to Vesti Online, Jelena addressed the downside of being married to one of the greatest tennis players of all time. “We look at public figures and think that kind of publicity is okay,” she said. “But as time goes on, you lack anonymity, you lack the privacy to be able to do whatever you like at any time, in any situation. I try to resist all these expectations to always be myself and for Novak to be able to be himself.”