Novak Djokovic paid tribute to his late friend Kobe Bryant after his historic win at the 2023 US Open on Sunday night.
The Serb star wore a ‘Mamba Forever’ shirt following his victory over Daniil Medvedev in the final.
It was only fitting that Djokovic remembered Bryant after capturing his record 24th Grand Slam title as Kobe wore the No. 24 jersey during his time with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Djokovic’s close bond with Kobe
Djokovic talked about Bryant after the win, saying:
“Kobe was a close friend. When I was struggling, he was one of the people I would rely on the most. 24 is the jersey he wore when he became a legend of world basketball. It could be a nice thing to acknowledge him.”
Djokovic’s road to Grand Slam No. 24
The journey towards Grand Slam No. 24 has been a difficult one for Djokovic.
He came close to winning his 24th Grand Slam title at the Wimbledon Championships last July when he reached the final against Carlos Alcaraz.
The two tennis stars put on a show in their clash at the All England Club, with their match going the distance.
It was Alcaraz, however, who emerged victorious, pulling off a 1-6, 7-6 (6), 6-1, 3-6, 6-4 victory.
Djokovic had another opportunity to tie Margaret Court’s all-time record of 24 Grand Slam titles in New York this month with the 2023 staging of the US Open.
He stormed into the final, dropping just two sets in his first six matches.
He saved the best for last in the championship match against Medvedev, needing three hours and 16 minutes to produce the 6-3, 7-6 (5), 6-3 victory, per ESPN.
Credit: Sports Brief
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