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via Reuters

via Reuters

Novak Djokovic has given his all on the court at the French Open. And despite all the post-match routine and tiredness, he didn’t forget to thank the fans for their constant support, during the third-round nightmare! Post the hard-earned win, when Djokovic looked around to celebrate, to his surprise more than half of the stadium were still applauding his victory. And what surprised him the most was the presence of young fans! 

It’s not every day that youngsters have the privilege to talk and hug their favorites at the tournament. There is always an alarm clock for their sleep. And certainly not when the match, which was supposed to end before or around their bedtime extends into the early hours of dawn. So when the moment presented itself to a young French boy, he accompanied his father to witness his hero win. And the Serbinator noticed. 

Post his 4.5-hour thriller comeback against the young Italian sensation Lorenzo Musetti. Djokovic, being the gentlemen he is, went to one of the youngest fans in the stands, to everyone’s disbelief. No one anticipated the Serbian to meet fans, let alone show affectionate gestures, as he hugged the boy and kissed his head while handing him the souvenir! The boy’s father, Franck reminisced every moment as he detailed to the media.  He said, “It’s 3:22 a.m. exactly when Novak Djokovic comes to see Tom.”

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This was not all, he further added in utter disbelief, “He has every reason to go back to the locker room quickly, but he came and that’s beautiful because not all champions do it.” And the little boy, Tom was not left behind as he piqued in to share his special moment with the champion, “He gave me a kiss on the head and gave me his signed racket.” Djokovic gave the family an unanticipated heartwarming moment to cherish forever. 

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In his almost 2 decades of career, with 24 Grand Slams in his cabinet, Djokovic has certainly raised the standard of the players in tennis, along with the other top players aka his rivals. Hence, post his rival’s early exit, the World No.1 might be looking at youngsters for motivation to stay on the court for longer!

Novak Djokovic’s sole motivation in 2024: to play for his country 

The revered Big 3 group of Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, and Novak Djokovic is on the verge of fully dismantling. Novak Djokovic is looking for new avenues for his motivation and Rafa might soon follow Federer into retirement. As he recently stated in the post-match interview, I’ve said recently that I did struggle with motivation on a constant basis. Motivation I’ve had for 20 years of professional tennis.”  

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Though it’s not surprising as the Serbian ace and the other Big 3 players have pushed each other to do their best. And share more than 60 grand slams among themselves. Consequently, Djokovic would be on the lookout to make new rivals and enjoy the sports more than ever with the younger generation. 

As Djokovic steps into the court for the fourth round at Roland Garros. Do you think he would win in straight sets? Or would his opponent force him for a five-set thriller? Do let us know in the comments!