‘You Will Always Remain in My Heart’ – Novak Djokovic Gives an Emotional Send-off to Teammates-Turned-Family as Their Paths Diverge

Today, less than an hour before his second group stage match in the ATP Finals, world number 1 Novak Djokovic decided to pay tribute to two of his most important team members who are parting ways with him. Although tennis is an individual sport, it does require the effort of a dedicated team. This is especially true in the case of players who make it to the top. Similarly, Djokovic has been very fortunate to have a very consistent team of people who take care of aspects other than tennis.

This group of people has played a major role in Djokovic’s success by maintaining his public image and protecting him from the eyes of the media as and where possible. The two people who received the Serb’s heartfelt message are none other than his long-serving agent couple, Elena Cappellaro and her husband Edoardo Artaldi.

Novak Djokovic pays tribute to two team members who have been through thick and thin together

Novak Djokovic is currently playing at the Nitto ATP World Tour Finals. He proceeded to the second match after defeating Holger Rune in the opener. And currently, he is playing against Jannik Sinner. Before the start of his match with Sinner, Djokovic made a heartwarming post for the two pivotal members of his team. The long and heartfelt message showcased the deep bond that the 24-time Grand Slam champion had built with the couple over a period of 15 years.

He posted a picture with his team on his official Instagram page. Djokovic also captioned it with a heartwarming message. He wrote, “It’s difficult to describe everything we have been through together for 13 years of collaboration in one message. My appreciation and love for you two personally goes beyond any professional relationship. What you did for me and my family privately and the amount of care and empathy you had all these years, especially towards my wife and kids is something very special for me and I will never forget that. Together, we created the history of tennis and reached incredible heights in this sport. Your contribution to the success is vital and I thank you from the bottom of my heart ❤️ You will always remain in my heart as dearest friends and part of my family.”

Spending and investing so much trust and time in the same team shows that Djokovic truly considers them as his family. His two Italian agents have also played a pivotal role in his success off the court, as he has amassed an incredible net worth of $240 million. This rings true, particularly when we look at where the Serbian legend was in his tennis career when he first met his agent and friend, Edoardo Artaldi.

How Artaldi and his wife played a pivotal role in Djokovic’s rise to fame

Affectionately known as ‘Dodi’ among the team of Djokovic, Edoardo Artaldi and his wife Elena are the current world No.1’s Italian managers. Djokovic first met Artaldi when he was taking the first steps in building his legendary tennis career, back in 2008. At that time, the Serb had just one major title, the 2008 Australian Open, and had recently signed with the renowned Italian clothing brand Sergio Tacchini. Although the partnership with the brand didn’t last long, Djokovic kept his professional ties to Artaldi strong, and it proved to be a masterstroke!

In an exclusive interview with SBS Italian in 2019, the Italian super agent mentioned how he had become an integral member of Djokovic’s team: “We try to be as professional as possible, but now our relationship is rather personal. We live together 24/7 and these nine years together have been really intense. Sometimes we even pull each others’ ears”.

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Over the years, Artaldi and his team have secured huge sponsorship deals for his client, Novak Djokovic. In almost all of his sponsorships, from securing deals with ASICS, Lacoste and HEAD to his recent partnership with Waterdrop, his Italian super agent had a huge part to play.

Now, with both Artaldi and his wife, Elena, choosing to part ways with Djokovic’s team, it remains to be seen who will join the 24-time Grand Slam champion in his future ventures.

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