GOAT recognizes GOAT! Tennis legend Novak Djokovic has consistently expressed his deep admiration and inspiration for Tom Brady. Back in February, immediately following TB12’s retirement announcement, Djokovic publicly expressed his gratitude to the NFL legend, acknowledging him as an “Absolute Legend” and a source of inspiration. However, it is important to note that this appreciation is not a one-way street, as Brady himself never misses an opportunity to shower love and support for his dear friend.
While retirement rumors circulated, Djokovic continued to dominate the tennis scene, winning major trophies with remarkable consistency. TB12, always eager to show his support for his friend, traveled over 4,000 miles just to witness the Joker conquer the tennis court once again.
Tom Brady was right by the courtside to cheer for his friend
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Djokovic’s highly anticipated showdown unfolded in France, where he faced off against the formidable 24-year-old rising star, Casper Ruud. The stakes were high as he and Rafael Nadal were tied for the same number of Grand Slam titles. Despite Rudd’s impressive track record and his status as the highest-ranked Norwegian player, the Joker proved his dominance on the court.
He defeated Rudd 7-6(1), 6-3, 7-5 to win the French Open, and his 23rd Grand Slam passing Nadal to obtain the most single men’s titles in history.
Witnessing this historic moment was none other than the 7x Super Bowl champ, who had left Le Mans just to support his friend from the courtside. He was even given access to the special box, to sit beside the tennis legend’s wife and watch the game. As Djokovic sealed his victory, Brady posted a picture on his Instagram page and wrote, “Congratulations my friend,” and tagged Djokovic. In the caption, TB12 further wrote, “Best part was seeing up close how much your family loves and supports you!” However, even after his splendid performance, there are a lot fo talks around about his retirement. And the question remains as with every great athlete, when will he decide to hang his racket?
The mystery around Djokovic’s retirement
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The 36-year-old tennis legend, Djokovic, has been the subject of retirement discussions for a while now. However, as he surpassed his biggest rival, the intensity of these discussions only grew. Similar to the NFL GOAT, Djokovic has a different plan in mind. It’s no secret that TB12 held the title of the oldest active player in the league before his retirement, and Djokovic aspires to follow in his footsteps.
Nadal is the only active player who comes close to Djokovic in terms of major trophies. However, Rafa has chosen to opt out of the French Open due to injury and may even retire next year. Therefore, Djokovic now aims to extend his trophy count, surpassing the likes of Serena Williams, with whom he is tied, and even maybe Margaret Court, who holds the record with 24 trophies.
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Djokovic wants to go out with a bang, which is not surprising considering his remarkable journey and continued dominance over the field. At the age of 36, he has still shown remarkable consistency, and it won’t be any different for the future seasons as well.
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