Novak Djokovic choked and broke down remembering dear friend and mentor Kobe Bryant
In the post match interview in the 2020 Australian Open quarterfinals, Novak Djokovic mentioned how the LA Lakers star helped him during some tough times.
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Kobe Bryant, Novak Djokovic
Tennis icon Novak Djokovic got emotional at the 2020 Australian Open while remembering Kobe Bryant. After the quarterfinal match against Milos Raonic, the Serb, while in tears, mentioned his mentor and friend, Bryant, sharing some fond memories with the NBA star.
Widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players and scorers of all time, Bryant died in a tragic accident in California on January 26, 2020. The untimely death of the 18-time All-Star sent shockwaves through the sporting fraternity. Djokovic, who was competing in the Australian Open at that time, could not hold back his tears as well.
In the post-match conversation with John McEnroe, Djokovic paid some rich tribute to Bryant. “I really don’t know what to say, I was taken aback by the news,” he said almost choking up. Djokovic also wore a jacket bearing Bryant’s initials alongside his basketball jersey numbers, No. 8 and No. 24.
“He was one of the greatest athletes in history, an inspiration to me and many other people around the world. Kobe helped me in a moment of difficulty, we had met and talked on more than one occasion. I’ve been fortunate enough to have a personal relationship with him over the past 10 years,” Djokovic added.
Djokovic mentioned how the LA Lakers star helped him during some tough times. “When I needed some advice and support, he was there for me. He was my mentor, and my friend, it’s just heartbreaking to see what has happened to him and his daughter. It’s unbelievable,” he disclosed. As he was leaving the court, the Serb signed a TV camera lens with ‘KB 8 24 Gigi Love You,’ thinking about Bryant’s daughter Gigi.
When Kobe Bryant picked Novak Djokovic over Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal
The late American basketball star Kobe Bryant had talked about his favorite among the ‘Big Three.’ In an interview with ESPN, the five-time NBA champion picked the Serb over Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. Bryant also mentioned his ‘longtime relationship’ with Djokovic. “Well, Novak’s my guy. We have a relationship. We’ve had a relationship for a long time,” Bryant emphasized.
In the same interview, Bryant also revealed his discussions with Djokovic about how athletes need to cope physically with advancing age. They had compared their notes on how to deal with players who were younger than themselves. This was the time when Djokovic was going through a tough phase.
“So, it’s a lot of preparation. I and Novak talked about it a lot, quite at length, as he was going through a process of ‘physically, I am not what I used to be, so how did you adjust and change your game?’ We talked about it for a while and having the acceptance of an athlete to say I’m not what I used to be,” Bryant explained.
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