Novak Djokovic overcome with emotions after historic US Open win, falls to his knees on court to celebrate 24th Slam

Novak Djokovic fell to his knees after winning his 24th Grand Slam title at the 2023 US Open
Novak Djokovic fell to his knees after winning his 24th Grand Slam title at the 2023 US Open

Novak Djokovic was overwhelmed following his monumental victory in the 2023 US Open final on Sunday, September 10. Overcome with joy, he dropped to his knees on the court to celebrate his record-extending 24th Grand Slam victory.

Djokovic emerged victorious over Daniil Medvedev with a commanding 6-3, 7-6(5), 6-3 triumph at the iconic Arthur Ashe Stadium. The win placed him on par with Margaret Court for the most Grand Slam singles trophies in the history of tennis.

The 36-year-old also became the player with the most Majors in the Open Era, surpassing Serena Williams' record of 23. Furthermore, he is set to reclaim the coveted World No. 1 spot in the ATP Rankings on Monday, September 11.

After securing the win, Djokovic jubilantly tossed his racket into the air and raised his hands to bask in the resounding cheers and applause from the crowd. Overwhelmed by a surge of emotions, the 24-time Grand Slam champion subsequently dropped to his knees and stayed in that position for a while.

Watch the clip below:


"Mamba forever" - Novak Djokovic pays tribute to late Kobe Bryant with special '24' jersey after record-breaking 24th Grand Slam title at the 2023 US Open

Novak Djokovic wearing a special Kobe Bryant jersey at the 2023 US Open
Novak Djokovic wearing a special Kobe Bryant jersey at the 2023 US Open

Following his victory at Flushing Meadows, Novak Djokovic donned a jersey bearing the number 24, paying tribute to the late Kobe Bryant.

Djokovic donned a light blue and vibrant yellow t-shirt adorned with the words "Mamba Forever" on the front, featuring an image of the duo. The prominent number 24 was emblazoned on the back, which the Serb proudly gestured towards in jubilation following his monumental victory.

'24' was the jersey number that Bryant wore during the latter part of his illustrious NBA career. He himself once acknowledged that the transition from No. 8 to 24 symbolized his personal growth and development.

"Then 24 is a growth from [No. 8]," Bryant said. "Physical attributes aren't there the way they used to be, but the maturity level is greater. Marriage, kids. Start having a broader perspective being one of the older guys on the team now, as opposed to being the youngest. Things evolve."

Former basketball player and Kobe Bryant's friend Kevin Garnett later disclosed that there was another motive behind Bryant's decision to don the number 24.

"People don't even know [what] the 24 stands for," Garnett said. "People don't even understand that that was a sign to everybody that he was a step above 23 [Michael Jordan's jersey number], if y'all even got that."
"That's why he went 24, that was a shot at Mike, straight up, like, I'm better than you. It really stood on it. And if you look at every goal or every record that Mike Jordan has had, Kobe chased it," Garnett added.

How did Novak Djokovic meet Jelena Ristic? All about the most admired couples in tennis

Quick Links

Edited by Parag Jain
Sportskeeda logo
Close menu
WWE
WWE
NBA
NBA
NFL
NFL
MMA
MMA
Tennis
Tennis
NHL
NHL
Golf
Golf
MLB
MLB
Soccer
Soccer
F1
F1
WNBA
WNBA
More
More
bell-icon Manage notifications