Novak Djokovic dedicated his 24th Grand Slam win to the late basketball icon Kobe Bryant.
Novak Djokovic has been dominating tennis discussions recently, especially following his remarkable 24th Grand Slam victory at the US Open last week. However, he’s not just making headlines for his on-court achievements. Djokovic has also been a hot topic due to a viral interview featuring the late basketball legend Kobe Bryant. In this video, Kobe, a five-time NBA champion, was asked to select his favorite among the tennis “Big 3” – Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Djokovic – and he chose Djokovic, sparking widespread conversation and interest on social media.
In the ESPN interview, the 18-time NBA All-Star affectionately referred to the tennis triumvirate of Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic as the “holy trinity of tennis.” He expressed a longstanding connection with Novak Djokovic, stating, “Well, Novak’s my guy. We have a relationship. We’ve had a relationship for a long time.” Additionally, during the course of the interview, Kobe Bryant shared an interesting tidbit, mentioning that Roger Federer had once sent him a tennis racquet, highlighting the cross-sport camaraderie between these sporting icons.
Kobe Bryant also revealed an insightful conversation he had with Novak Djokovic, delving into the topic of how athletes must adapt physically as they age. He emphasized the importance of older players studying their opponents thoroughly, in order to comprehend their strategies and neutralize any advantages they may have during a competition. This conversation highlights the depth of knowledge and experience shared between these two sports legends.
Novak Djokovic has dedicated his 2023 US Open win to the late Kobe Bryant
After his triumphant win at the US Open on Sunday, Djokovic dedicated his victory to the late Kobe Bryant, the NBA superstar. Djokovic wore a light blue tee decorated with a yellow homage to both he and Bryant, bearing the inscription “Mamba Forever.” With the number 24 as Bryan used to wear.
“Kobe was a close friend. We chatted a lot about a winner’s mentality when I was struggling with injury, trying to make my comeback. He was 1 of the people I rely on the most.. he was always there for advice. What happened with him & his daughter passing hurt me deeply. 24 is the jersey he wore when he became a legend of Basketball. It was a symbolic thing to acknowledge him for all the things he’s done” – Djokovic stated during the post match presentation ceremony.
Djokovic also said that he received advice on his own career from Bryant, who died in a helicopter crash that also killed his daughter, Gianna, and seven others three years ago.
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