Djokovic celebrates No. 24 with heartwarming tribute to Kobe Bryant
Novak Djokovic of Serbia wearing t-shirt with likeness of his late friend Kobe Bryant after winning final against Daniil Medvedev of US Open Championships at Billie Jean King Tennis Center in New York on September 10, 2023. By winning the US Open Djo (Getty Images)
NEW YORK (AP) - Novak Djokovic couldn’t think about No. 24 without thinking of Kobe Bryant.
So after winning the U.S. Open on Sunday night for a historic 24th Grand Slam title, Djokovic put on a blue T-shirt that honored the Los Angeles Lakers great.
The shirt read "Mamba Forever" on the front, along with pictures of Bryant and Djokovic. On the back in purple was the No. 24, one of two numbers Bryant wore during his Hall of Fame career.
Djokovic said he came up with the idea about a week ago as a way to honor his friend. He said he received advice on his own career from Bryant, who died in 2020 in a helicopter crash that also killed his daughter, Gianna, and seven others.
"Kobe was a close friend, we chatted a lot about the winner’s mentality when I was struggling with injury and trying to make my comeback, work my way back to the top of the game," Djokovic said. "He was one of the people that I relied on the most."
Novak Djokovic of Serbia shows his Mamba tee shirt featuring Kobe Bryant after his victory against Daniil Medvedev of Russia in the Men's Singles Final on Arthur Ashe Stadium during the US Open Tennis Championship 2023 at the USTA National Tennis Cen (Getty Images)
"He was always there for any kind of counsel, advice, any kind of support in the most friendly way," Djokovic continued. "So of course what happened a few years ago and him and his daughter passing hurt me deeply, and I thought 24 is the jersey he wore when he became a legend of the Lakers and world basketball, so I thought it could be a nice, symbolic thing to acknowledge him for all the things he’s done."
Bryant’s widow, Vanessa, congratulated Djokovic with an Instagram post, saying that "Real recognize Real" with the hashtag MambaMentality.