In a heartwarming story that’s now resurfacing after more than a decade, tennis legend Novak Djokovic and his wife Jelena are being praised not for trophies or records, but for a quiet act of compassion that changed two young lives forever.
Twelve years ago, while traveling through a remote area of Serbia, Novak and Jelena encountered a heartbreaking scene: twin girls, no older than five, abandoned near a rundown bus stop, shivering in the cold and clearly malnourished. What the couple did next would not only alter the fate of those girls — but would come to define a different kind of greatness outside the tennis court.
The Day That Changed Everything
It was the winter of 2013. Novak Djokovic, already a household name in the tennis world, had taken a break from training to spend time with his wife in a small town outside Belgrade. While driving through a village on a snowy afternoon, they noticed two tiny figures sitting alone beside a bench.
Jelena immediately asked Novak to stop the car.
“They were wrapped in old blankets, barely enough to keep warm. I remember seeing their eyes — wide, scared, and full of questions,” Jelena later shared in a 2015 interview with Serbian Life Magazine.
“We couldn’t just drive away.”
They approached the girls and learned that the twins had been abandoned by a relative after their mother died and their father left the village years earlier. The locals occasionally helped them with food, but no one had taken them in.
Immediate Action
Without hesitation, Novak and Jelena brought the girls to a nearby shelter and personally ensured they received urgent medical care. But their involvement didn’t stop there.
The Djokovics took legal steps to become the girls’ guardians and arranged for them to be placed with a loving foster family — one that Novak and Jelena continued to support financially and emotionally over the years. The couple never sought media attention for the act and kept their involvement private for years.
“It wasn’t about headlines or recognition,” said Jelena. “It was about giving two innocent souls a chance at life.”
Growing Up With Love
Now, in 2025, the twins — named Ana and Mila — are 17 years old and thriving. Both girls are described as bright, kind-hearted, and ambitious. Ana dreams of becoming a pediatrician, while Mila has developed a passion for music and plays the violin in a local orchestra.
The girls have often referred to the Djokovics as “guardian angels.”
“We were too young to understand it back then,” Ana said in a rare interview last month. “But now we know. Without them, we wouldn’t be here. We owe them everything.”
Though they live with their foster family, the girls frequently visit Novak and Jelena, especially during holidays. Their bond has only deepened over the years.
Public Reaction
As the story has resurfaced online — sparked by a viral TikTok clip featuring a fan account sharing the story — fans around the world are overwhelmed with admiration.
“He’s not just the greatest in tennis. He’s the greatest in heart,” one fan commented.
“True champions don’t just win trophies — they change lives,” wrote another.
Many say that this act of kindness proves that Djokovic’s legacy isn’t just about Grand Slams, but about humanity, humility, and love.
A Message from Djokovic
When asked about the story finally gaining attention, Djokovic responded modestly:
“We didn’t do it for recognition. We did it because it was the right thing to do,” he said. “Jelena and I have always believed that if you’re in a position to help someone, especially a child, you should do it without hesitation.”
A Legacy Beyond Tennis
As Novak Djokovic continues to compete at the highest levels of the sport, this story stands as a powerful reminder that the greatest victories don’t always come with trophies or applause.
Sometimes, the most meaningful legacy lies not in titles — but in the lives touched quietly, compassionately, and without condition.
Twelve years later, the world now knows what Ana and Mila have always known: Novak and Jelena Djokovic are champions, both on and off the court.
