Novak Djokovic’s wife Jelena would choose her happiness over the public’s insatiable appetite for information any day of the week.
“I am aware that as a wife of a popular athlete I might be interesting for the tabloids, that is why I try not to give them much material to write about me,” according to The Sun.
Married to the Serbian tennis star since 2014, Jelena was noticeably absent from Wimbledon last year, in addition to January’s Australian Open, in which Djokovic which hasn’t been free of speculation — sometimes a simple snap isn’t enough.
“The development of technology and social networks have contributed to making the lives of public figures available at all times,” Jelena explained.
With over 478,000 followers, Jelena stated it can be a struggle to tune out the outside noise.
“At first, the experience does not alarm you because it can bring you some difficulties. We look at public figures and think that kind of publicity is okay,” Jelena explained.
“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.”
Though social media has the power to filter reality, for Jelena, it’s about being authentic with oneself and those who matter most, including her two children with Djokovic.
“I decided that between the way I see and love myself and what the public expects, I choose not to disappoint myself,” Jelena said.