Novak Djokovic and Kobe Bryant were very good friends, and the 24-time Grand Slam champion paid him a tribute not once, but multiple times.
One of those moments came at the 2020 Australian Open, shortly after Bryant's passing. Now, three years later, after winning his 24th Grand Slam title, the number which the legendary American basketball player wore, the 36-year-old Serb paid him a beautiful tribute once again.
During the final, Djokovic was all business. He defeated Daniil Medvedev 6-3, 7-6(5), 6-3 to win his fourth US Open title and 24th major. After the match, the Serb took out a white jacket with the number 24, and also a special T-shirt.
The t-shirt was in very bright colours and it was very colourful. On the back, the Serb sported the number 24, showcasing the number of Grand Slam titles that he won, as well as the number that Kobe Bryant sported on his back for the majority of his career.
The front side of the t-shirt had a picture of Djokovic and Bryant, along with the text 'Mamba Forever'. After putting the T-shirt on, the 24-time Grand Slam champion kissed the picture, and pointed to the sky, paying tribute to his good friend and basketball legend.
The victory was certainly an emotional moment for Djokovic, who managed to win not just his fourth US Open title, but also his 24th Grand Slam title, securing the world no. 1 spot on the ATP Tour, but also secure many more achievements, as he usually does at this point in his career.
During the trophy ceremony, Djokovic was very humble, as was his opponent Medvedev, as the two exchanged some very nice words. And while the night was all about the newly crowned 24-time Grand Slam champion, it was a beautiful gesture from him to share the moment also with his late friend.
"Kobe was a close friend, we chatted a lot about the 'winners' mentality', when I was struggling with the injury, trying to make my comeback to the top of the game... He was always there for any kind of advice. What happened a few years ago hurt me deeply, so I felt it could be a nice symbolic thing to acknowledge him and his legacy."
0 Comments