Novak Djokovic gets emotional after spotting a banner with parents' pictures, honors them with a kiss

Novak Djokovic had an emotional moment in Rome after a fan showed up with his parents' pictures on a banner, which the Serbian player kissed after the match.

Novak Djokovic convincingly beat Cameron Norrie 6-3, 6-4 in straight sets in the fourth round of the 2023 Italian Open on Tuesday, improving his head-to-head with the Brit to 3-0.

After the match, the World No. 1 went to the fans to sign autographs and take pictures, as per usual, but this time one of the fans was holding something special – a banner with the pictures of his parents, father Srdjan and mother Dijana, and a message saying "Thank you".

Delighted with the surprise, the 35-year-old kissed the picture of his parents, and even gifted his cap to the Italian supporter.

Recalling the incident at his press conference afterwards, the World No. 1 said:

"It's the first time I've seen a banner like that. It wasn't even a Serbian guy, but an Italian. I gifted him my cap. It was a message not only for me but to everyone to respect our parents regardless of the kind of relationship we have with them in our families. Parents are parents, they've always supported me unconditionally, and I always want to remind them of that," he told 'Telegraf' in Serbian.

The six-time winner in Rome reminded everyone of the tough times during his childhood in Serbia, which he has previously talked about many times in his career, and reiterated the debt he owes his parents for sticking with him every step of the way.

"I always feel respect and debt to my parents, because I'm aware of the sacrifices they made so I could play tennis. They supported me in playing a very costly sport during a tough time in which there were sanctions, wars, and bombings. Because of that, I feel grateful," Novak Djokovic said.

Novak Djokovic didn't want to reveal injury status before his quarterfinal clash against Holger Rune in Rome

Internazionali BNL D'Italia 2023 - Day Nine

Novak Djokovic played a great match against Norrie on Tuesday, but many are still concerned about his elbow, which has bothered him throughout the clay court season.

In the Serbian part of the press conference, he was asked to clarify his injury status but gave a vague answer, not wanting to reveal anything Holger Rune and his team might use before their next duel.

"I don't want to talk about any physical difficulties, because all of that can be used by my opponents. I'm happy that I managed to push through this match and finish it in two sets. That's what matters. It wasn't ideal for me today, to be perfectly honest. I was in a bit of pain during the warmup, I didn't have much time for it and it was a bit problematic for me at the beginning of the match," the Serb admitted.

Djokovic and Rune will face off for the third time in their careers in the quarterfinals of the Italian Open. The World No. 1 won their first duel at the 2021 US Open but Holger equalized in the H2H at the 2022 Paris Masters, stunning the 22-time Grand Slam champion in the final.