"Thank you" - Novak Djokovic expresses gratitude to soccer star Aleksandar Mitrovic for saying he is willing to fight with Serb's haters

Novak Djokovic recently expressed his gratitute toward fellow Serbian and football star Aleksandar Mitrovic for his kind words of support.

Mitrovic, who plays as the striker for Premier League team Fulham and the Serbian national football team, recently revisited his experience of supporting Djokovic during his clash against Roger Federer in the 2019 Wimbledon Championships final. The Serb emerged victorious in the thrilling final, defeating Federer 7-6(5), 1-6, 7-6(4), 4-6, 13-12(3) after a four hour and 57 minute battle.

Finding himself surrounded by Federer fans during the match, Mitrovic recalled being so passionate in his support for his compatriot that he nearly engaged in a physical altercation.

"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," he said during a podcast.

The 28-year-old expressed his deep love and respect for Djokovic, comparing their bond to that of brothers.

"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.

The 23-time Grand Slam champion expressed his gratitute towards Mitrovic for his heartfelt words, resharing a clip from the podcast on social media.

"Thank you bro," he wrote on his Instagram story (Translated from Serbian).

Djokovic's Instagram story

"The more they insult him, the more it motivates him, this is our mentality" - Aleksandar Mitrovic on Novak Djokovic

The Serb at Wimbledon 2023

Aleksandar Mitrovic further extolled Novak Djokovic's virtues, describing him as a "good man," a fair competitor and the greatest tennis player of all time. He also lauded the 36-year-old's mental resilience, praising his ability to use all the negativity he faces as fuel for further success.

“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 said.

In other news, the 23-time Grand Slam champion recently announced his withdrawal from the 2023 Canadian Open due to fatigue.

The Serb will make his return to the court at Cincinnati Open, which will be held in Mason, Ohio, from August 13-20. He will also team up with compatriot Nikola Cacic for the doubles competition at the ATP Masters 1000 event.