Novak Djokovic has invited a couple to his wedding after a man proposed to his girlfriend during the Serbian's first-round match at Wimbledon on Monday.
Djokovic, a seven-time Wimbledon champion, observed the proposal during a break in play. He offered the couple a thumbs-up and stated, "I want an invitation to the wedding." The couple reciprocated with a thumbs-up from the stands.
The interaction quickly gained online traction, with tens of thousands of views on social media. "He is such a sweet man," one user commented on Wimbledon's official Instagram post. Another expressed hope that Djokovic would attend, calling it "awesome."
While many praised Djokovic's reaction, some social media users criticized the couple for their public display, suggesting the proposal was attention-seeking and detracted from the match.
This is not the first time a proposal has occurred at a major sporting event. In 1996, Steffi Graf was proposed to at Wimbledon. More recently, at the 2025 Australian Open, a fan yelled "marry me, Novak" to which Djokovic replied, "Sorry, mate, I have a wife. We can have a drink, though."
Djokovic has been married to Jelena since 2014, and they have two children.
The 39-year-old tennis player secured his first-round victory against China's Wu Yibing, with a score of 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-4. The match, which was attended by Sir David Beckham, set up a second-round encounter with Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Following the match, Djokovic commented on the difficulty of the game, stating, "It felt really challenging for me today. Wu deserves a huge round of applause for his performance." He acknowledged Wu's strong play, noting that he "never faced him before" and was surprised by the level of his game. Djokovic credited his experience for navigating the close match, particularly a critical moment in the fourth set.
During his on-court interview, Djokovic engaged in a playful moment, playing an imaginary violin with his racquet. This was met with some boos from the crowd as Wu departed to enthusiastic applause. Djokovic is currently aiming to become the oldest Wimbledon men's singles champion since the Open era began in 1968. Roger Federer was 35 when he won the title in 2017.
