Novak Djokovic‘s journey has been anything but smooth in the last two decades. Injuries, setbacks, and criticism. He’s faced it all while still making his way through hardships and staying on top. At 38, he’s still going while chasing the dream of becoming the first player to win 25 Grand Slams. But it’s not just his dream alone. His wife, Jelena, has been by his side over the last twenty years, cheering from the stands, crying during the most heartbreaking moments, while lifting his spirits to never give up.

Just last month, Djokovic, emotional after his semi-final defeat to Jannik Sinner in what “could have been the last match” at the French Open, couldn’t help but be grateful to the crowd at Court Philippe Chatrier for supporting him like never before. “Not the happiest because of the loss, but I tried to show my gratitude to the crowd because they were terrific in the moments when it seemed like it was going all his [Sinner’s] way,” he said at the post-match presser. And when Roland Garros shared this message on their official Instagram page, Jelena, who, along with her two kids, was in Paris at the time, took to the comments section to share her appreciation for the character her husband showed even in defeat. “So proud of you my love,” her message read.

Cut to Wimbledon, she was at Centre Court when Djokovic bested a young Fabio Cobolli in a hard-fought battle. Despite losing the first set in a tiebreaker, the 24-time slam king didn’t lose his calm and kept going, eventually snatching a 14th semifinal ticket at the All England Club. The Serbian defeated Italian with a final score line of 6-7, 6-2, 7-5, 6-4 to confirm a spot in the last four. And as always, Jelena, who sat through the turbulent showdown like always, couldn’t be happier to witness her beloved rising from adversities and clinching another scintillating victory.

Taking to her Instagram, she later simply showered praises on Djokovic. Making an honest, personal confession, Jelena wrote, “20 years of sitting on the edge of my seat for this amazing man 🫣❤️🤯” Her reaction was more than just words of appreciation for her husband. They came at a time when Djokovic showed his mettle on the court despite an injury scare. On Centre Court, all eyes were on him on Wednesday during the fourth set when he was just mere points away from an epic win.

Serving for the match at 40-30, he attempted to hit the ball after Cobolli made a fine return. However, he couldn’t make it as his leg probably got stuck in the grass, making him split and fall down. Clearly he was in pain, as the crowd and wife Jelena watched closely while praying for him. Even the chair umpire got down to check on him.

Luckily, he got up and was ready to resume in no time, continuing with his quest for victory. But it wasn’t just another win at Wimbledon for the Serbian. He ended up amassing several key milestones, too.

Novak Djokovic leaves Wimbledon icon Roger Federer behind

For the uninitiated, Roger Federer currently has the most Wimbledon titles to his name—eight, to be precise. Novak Djokovic is not far behind, at seven. However, Djokovic has bested Federer for another record with his quarterfinal win. Federer made 13 semifinal appearances at Wimbledon during his career. Guess what? The Serbian has done it 14 times now – most by any man in the Open era.

It’s also his seventh-straight semifinal appearance at the grass major. He’s always made it to the top four starting from 2018. The Serbian’s now tied with Federer, who entered seven consecutive Wimbledon semis from 2003 to 2009.

If he wins against Sinner on Friday, Djokovic will be in his seventh successive final at the All England Club. However, the battle won’t be easy considering the fact that the World No.1 has been dominant against the 24-time slam king lately. His French Open semi-final defeat is a case in point. In fact, Sinner has been the winner in their last four matchups while also leading the H2H tally 5-4.

Will Djokovic finally level the scores this time and keep his dream alive of lifting a 25th slam trophy? What are your thoughts on his prospects against Sinner? Let us know in the comments below. For live, minute-by-minute coverage of the Championships, head to our Live Blog.