“I love him like a brother,” Novak Djokovic thanks Aleksandar Mitrovic for his kind words
Novak Djokovic expressed his gratitude to Aleksandar Mitrovic after he showered him with praise.
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Novak Djokovic, Aleksandar Mitrovic (Source: Twitter)
Serbian footballer Aleksandar Mitrovic reserved some high praise for his fellow countryman Novak Djokovic. The 23-time Grand Slam champion took to social media to thank the Fulham F.C. striker for his kind words. Novak Djokovic is currently on vacation, after his heartbreaking loss to Carlos Alcaraz in the finals of Wimbledon last month.
The Serbian tennis player should be back on the courts later this month, as he begins his preparations for a fourth US Open title. Aleksandar Mitrovic recalled an incident at Wimbledon when Novak Djokovic was facing Roger Federer. He revealed that the majority of the people supported the Swiss tennis star, however, just two people including him supported Novak Djokovic.
“At the time, in England, when I was supporting Djokovic, I was on the verge of coming to blows. I remember when it was the Wimbledon final, when he played against Federer. Out of 30 players with the staff, only me and the Spanish goalkeeper were for Novak, and 28 of them were for [Roger] Federer,” Mitrovic said (via We Love Tennis).
Novak Djokovic was quick to acknowledge the praiseworthy words from Mitrovic as he thanked the footballer. The tennis ace put up a story on Instagram and wrote a simple “Thank You”.
Aleksandar Mitrovic feels sorry for Novak Djokovic despite his incredible success
Aleksandar Mitrovic expressed a strong desire to go against people who disrespect Novak Djokovic. The footballer feels guilty, as his own countrymen disrespect the tennis player on several occasions. The Fulham F.C. footballer stated that he has a deep admiration for Novak Djokovic, and also called him a ‘brother.’
“I started cooking something and some people started insulting me. And now, when I hear someone say bad things about Novak, I want to fight him. I love him like a brother. I feel guilty that people defy him, even in our country,” Mitrovic added.
Aleksandar Mitrovic further added that Novak Djokovic gets fueled by the constant criticism he receives. This drives the 36-year-old to do even better, which he has done over the past decade.
“I don’t know what words to describe him: a good man, a human being, a fair play player, and they always find something to say. Even now, I get angry when I talk about it. It’s the best of all time. The more they insult him, the more it motivates him. This is our mentality,” he added.
Novak Djokovic does not have a great record at the US Open, where he has faced his own share of struggles. He was not allowed to compete at the Flushing Meadows last year owing to COVID-19 protocols. In 2021, he was defeated by Daniil Medvedev in the finals. The Serb defaulted from the tournament in 2020, during his clash against Pablo Carreno Busta. But considering his run of form this year, Djokovic might go all the way this time around.
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Nirmit Mehta
(2425 Articles Published)