Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic are undoubtedly two of the biggest names in tennis. Both players have 45 Grand Slams between them. Nadal and Djokovic have had long and illustrious careers, enriching the sport, and their girlfriends-turned-wives have stood by them throughout this whole journey.
Recently, an old photo of Nadal and Djokovic from the 2010 US Open has resurfaced on social media. And standing by them are their then girlfriends, Francisca ‘Xisca’ Perello and Jelena Djokovic.
Both couples can be seen smiling for the camera, decked out in early 2010s fashion. While Nadal and Djokovic may be on-court rivals, they have always had mutual admiration for each other.
2010 US Open: Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic with their respective girlfriends 😄 pic.twitter.com/mosBYPTQLd
— Luigi Gatto (@gigicat7_) August 21, 2023
Since this old photo was shared, it has garnered more than 500k views on X (formerly known as Twitter). This picture has stunned old and new fans, seeing how far they have come since then.
Fan reactions ranged from how cute they looked together, to the secret ingredient for a long career being a healthy relationship. A fan wondered if Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic were still with Xisca and Jelena. “Are they still with the same..?” they asked. Here are some of the best fan reactions to the photo.
They were so young! Oh my. How the time flies!
— clemyFB (@clemycali) August 22, 2023
Are they still with the same..?
— uday bg (@udybg) August 21, 2023
Another fan remembered the caption with which Novak had posted this picture on Facebook.
I recall the caption @DjokerNole gave this photo on his facebook page: Pals with better halves 😉
Time sure flies, eh! #djokovic #nadal #atptour
— Kartz (Also: @kartz@mastodon.social) (@Lord_Kartz) August 21, 2023
Nadal and Djokovic locked horns at the US Open final that year. Rafa defeated Novak 6–4, 5–7, 6–4, 6–2. With this victory, Nadal became the first man in history to win a Surface Slam that year. And it was made even more wonderful by the fact, he had Xisca by his side.
Do Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic have kids with their partners, Xisca and Jelena?
While Nadal may be a tennis legend, very little is actually known about his wife Xisca. She prefers to keep a low profile. The couple dated for 14 years before they got married in a private ceremony in 2019.
In June 2022, Rafa confirmed that he and his wife were expecting a child. In October of that year, the couple welcomed their child, a baby boy also named Rafael.
View this post on Instagram
Jelena and Novak are school sweethearts. Novak’s tennis career took off a few years after their relationship. They have been happily married since 2014 and have two kids- Stefan and Tara.
Jelena is a humanitarian and one of the members of the Novak Djokovic Foundation. Despite being quite busy in her day-to-day life, Jelena is always present at Novak’s matches.
View this post on Instagram
Both Rafa and Novak are decorated players of tennis. But they always spend time with their family whenever they can. Novak was recently seen enjoying his break with Jelena and their kids before his return to the US.
Nadal and Novak have served tennis for over two decades now, enriching the sport with their brilliance. Nadal, in all likelihood, will call the curtains on his career in 2024. As for Djokovic, he is still playing and winning titles.