Novak Djokovic has been an absolute legend in the world of Tennis. Now, nobody in that world has won more Grand Slams than him, as he won his 4th US Open and 24th Grand Slam on Sunday. On September 11, 2023, the tennis world saw the great Serb go past the record of the Tennis legend Serena Williams. In the last French Open, Djokovic equaled the 23 Grand Slam victories of Serena Williams. After winning the last French Open, he went past his rival and the tennis legend Rafael Nadal. But on Sunday, Djokovic defeated Daniil Medvedev in straight sets at the Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Eventually, he won the US Open for the first time since 2018. No other tennis champions of the past or present have won as many as 24 Grand Slams. Moreover, Novak Djokovic knows how special this number is, and he planned to do the best way to celebrate this number. Everybody knows that Djokovic likes to celebrate each of his Grand Slam numbers in the most unique way possible. Previously, on his way to win the French Open Final, Novak Djokovic wore a jacket with the 23 number before he surpassed the great Rafael Nadal. Recently, the great Serb made sure that he celebrated winning his 24th Grand Slam, remembering a legend of the game of basketball.
Novak Djokovic Remembers Kobe Bryant After Winning His 24th Grand Slam
On Sunday, the 24-time Grand Slam winner paid tribute to the great Kobe Bryant. The LA Lakers Legend generally wore the jersey number 24. Moreover, the Lakers legend was a dear friend of Novak Djokovic, and the Serb felt it was the right time to pay tribute to his dear old friend. On January 26, 2020, the basketball fans lost the legend Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna, along with seven others, in a tragic helicopter crash. It was a sad day, not just for the NBA fans but also for all the sports lovers.
Novak hits 24 and pays tribute to the late Kobe Bryant 💙 pic.twitter.com/rDXVUvYe1Z
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 10, 2023
Novak shares the idea behind his tribute to Kobe 🗣 pic.twitter.com/aFd7xStqVx
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 11, 2023
Kobe Bryant was a legend, and his famous ‘Mamba mentality’ was an inspiration for all sportspersons. Bryant helped the Lakers form another dynasty that dominated the 2000s era. The duo of Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant won three titles for the Lakers together. But later, Shaq moved to the Miami Heat and won a title with them. However, Kobe stayed with the Lakers and won two more championship rings in the late 2000s. Novak Djokovic remembers the winning mentality of the late great Kobe Bryant. And how Kobe helped Novak with a lot of advice and counseling.
The 24-Time Grand Slam Winner Will Now Focus On How To Get Back To World’s No.1 Rank
Moreover, in Serbia, basketball is pretty popular, and it is one of Novak’s favorite games. Currently, a Serb is dominating the NBA in the form of Nikola Jokic. Hence, it is not surprising that becoming the first tennis player to win 24 Grand Slams after winning the US Open made Novak Djokovic remember his dear old friend.
At present, Novak Djokovic will keep working hard to get back his top rank. It currently belongs to the new Wimbledon champion, Carlos Alcaraz. The Spaniard beat Djokovic in the last Wimbledon final to win his second Grand Slam. Moreover, Alcaraz was the defending US Open champion before this year’s tournament.
