Watch: Novak Djokovic's wife Jelena mimics Serb's signature celebration after he beats Karen Khachanov at the Serbia Open
Novak Djokovic's wife Jelena mimicked her husband's famous celebration after he beat Karen Khachanov in the semifinals of the Serbia Open. The 34-year-old reached his first final of the season after defeating the Russian 4-6, 6-1, 6-2.
After the match, Djokovic performed his trademark celebration, which involved raising his hands towards his chest and then throwing it upwards to the sky in gratitude. His wife followed suit, copying the gesture as she watched from the stands.
I'm gonna die single cuz of this gif https://t.co/PcqMlh3RRG
In his on-court interview after the semifinals, Djokovic said he started to feel better in the second set, especially on his backhand, after a slow start to the match.
"Again I started not that great, losing the first set. I was a break down today as I was in the first two matches of the tournament. I think as soon as the second set started I was just feeling the ball and started swinging through particularly the backhand which wasn’t working in the first set,” Djokovic said.
The World No. 1 also admitted that the second and third sets against Khachanov were his "best two sets of the season so far."
“I was serving well, dictating the play [in the] second and third sets, the best two sets of the season so far for me and against a really quality tennis player," Djokovic added. "Khachanov is playing well. So it’s an important win. Of course, any win is important for me at the moment. Playing at home with the unbelievable support from the crowd always gives me goosebumps and the motivation to play my best and fight until the end.”
Novak Djokovic takes on Andrey Rublev in the Serbia Open final
After beating Khachanov, Novak Djokovic will square off against Andrey Rublev in the final of the Serbia Open on Sunday. This will be his second meeting with the Russian, having previously beaten him in straight sets in the round-robin stage of the 2021 ATP Finals.
Rublev will be competing in his third final of the season after beating Fabio Fognini 6-2, 6-2. The Russian won the Open 13 and the Dubai Tennis Championships after beating Felix Auger-Aliassime and Jiri Vesely respectively.
The crowd will no doubt be on Djokovic's side, but the World No. 1 has spent a lot of time on the court this week and will likely feel it, especially if the match goes to three sets.
This will also be the first top-10 opponent the Serb has faced this season. Considering Rublev's form, as well as the limited amount of time he has spent on the court, the final is likely to be closely contested.