Sunday, by winning in three sets in the final of the US Open 2023 against Daniil Medvedev, Novak Djokovic won his 24th Grand Slam title.
This is two more than Rafael Nadal, and he equals the absolute record of the Australian Margaret Court. 24 like… Kobe Bryant’s number, and the Serbian paid tribute to him with a “Mamba Forever” T-Shirt!
“About seven days ago I thought about making this t-shirt if I was lucky enough to win the tournament”, he declared during the trophy ceremony. “I didn’t tell anyone about it until a few days ago when I asked my team to help me make this t-shirt. Kobe was a close friend, we talked a lot about the winning mentality. When I was injured and trying to make a comeback, get back to the top of the game, he was one of the people I relied on the most. He was always there to advise and support me in the friendliest way possible.”
“I thought it would be a beautiful symbol”
Since the death of Kobe Bryant in a helicopter accident in 2020, Novak Djokovic has often paid tribute to Kobe Bryant, already citing the “Mamba Mentality” after winning Roland Garros earlier this spring.
“Of course, what happened a few years ago with his death and that of his daughter touched me deeply”he added. “I told myself that 24 was the jersey he wore when he became a legend of the Lakers and world basketball. I thought it would be a nice symbol to pay tribute to him for everything he did.”
