Novak Djokovic acts gracious in defeat as he fulfills his bet to Serbian reporter despite Wimbledon finals loss to Carlos Alcaraz
The Serbian superstar fulfilled his end of the bet in spite of having lost the Wimbledon final to Carlos Alcaraz.
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Novak Djokovic (Credits: Sport Klub YouTube)
The recently concluded Wimbledon 2023 final between reigning champion Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz went the way of the 20-year-old World No. 1 in a history victory. Despite the disappointment of losing his chance at an 8th Wimbledon title, Djokovic showed his class in a heartwarming gesture to a Serbian journalist, Nebojsa Viskovic, who made a bet with him prior to the start of the tournament.
During an interview prior to the beginning of Wimbledon 2023, Djokovic was asked by the Serbian reporter if he could have his Lacoste tracksuit top in the event of another Wimbledon triumph, to which he agreed with a handshake.
Although the victory did not go Djokovic’s way, he still decided to gift Viskovic the jacket when they met after the match. The journalist was left speechless as Djokovic handed him the top and asked him for a hug, which he received in a classy gesture just hours after the Wimbledon finally had drawn to a close.
Djokovic was all praises about Alcaraz after the heartbreaking finals loss
Despite the disappointment of losing, Djokovic maintained his composure and was gracious in defeat as he showered Alcaraz and his team in high praise after the historic victory. Djokovic’s previous defeat in the final came at the hands of Andy Murray in the back in 2013, while Sunday’s loss marked his first on any Wimbledon court in the last six years.
“I think people have been talking in the past 12 months or so about his game consisting of certain elements from Roger, Rafa, and myself,” said Djokovic when asked about Alcaraz’s strengths during the post-match interview. “Now I would agree with that. I think he’s got basically the best of all three worlds. He’s got this Spanish bull mentality of competitiveness and fighting spirit and incredible defense that we’ve seen with Rafa over the years, and I think he’s got some nice sliding backhands that he’s got some similarities with my backhands.”
Djokovic has already set his sights on the US Open, where Alcaraz will be the defending champion after winning his maiden Grand Slam title at Flushing Meadows last year. The outcome is sure to play a significant role in determining which of the pair will end the year at the top of the ATP rankings, with Djokovic currently trailing the young Spaniard by a margin of 880 points.
In case you missed it:
- WATCH: Carlos Alcaraz DROPS his Wimbledon trophy during an interview
- “All dressed up for nothing”- Wolverine fame Hugh Jackman trolled mercilessly for supporting Novak Djokovic from his box in the Wimbledon finals against Carlos Alcaraz
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Ketan Kunkalikar
(129 Articles Published)