Novak Djokovic pays tribute to Zlatan Ibrahimovic on Swede's retirement

Tennis legend Novak Djokovic has paid tribute to his friend Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who announced his retirement from professional football on Sunday, June 4.

Ibrahimovic, one of the most decorated and iconic strikers in the history of the game, has hung up his boots. The 41-year-old Swede, who has played for some of the biggest clubs in Europe, including Ajax, Juventus, Barcelona, Inter Milan, Manchester United, Paris Saint-Germain, and AC Milan, announced his decision on social media.

The Serbian tennis star posted his tribute to Ibrahimovic’s retirement on his Instagram story.

“Najjaci si brate ibra (You are the strongest brother Ibra)”, Djokovic wrote on Instagram.

Novak Djokovic on Instagram

Ibrahimovic's career was marked by his incredible athleticism, powerful shots, and ability to score goals in big games. He won league titles in Sweden, Italy, Spain, France, and the Netherlands, and he also won the Europa League, and the FIFA Club World Cup. He was named the Swedish Player of the Year a record 12 times.

Ibrahimovic's retirement is a major loss for the world of football. He was one of the most exciting players to watch, and always produced something special. He will be remembered as one of the greatest strikers of all time.

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"Rafael Nadal is so important for our game on and off the court" - Novak Djokovic

Laver Cup 2022

Novak Djokovic expressed his sympathy and support for Rafael Nadal, who underwent hip surgery that will sideline him for several months.

Nadal has been struggling with a hip problem that forced him to skip the 2023 French Open and Wimbledon. He might also miss the rest of the season.

Djokovic, on the other hand, advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2023 French Open after defeating Juan Pablo Varillas on June 4. He spoke about the Spaniard’s surgery in his post-match press conference.

“Well, yeah. It was his birthday yesterday, and he announced that he had his surgery. I had one surgery in my career on the elbow, and I know how hard it is to come back. It’s just one of those things that you don’t wish any athlete to experience,” Djokovic said.

The Serb suffered an elbow injury that kept him out of action for the latter part of 2017. He tried to avoid surgery for a while but eventually had to undergo it in early 2018. It is the only surgery he has needed in his career, unlike his greatest rival.

“Sometimes I guess it’s unavoidable. For him, it’s been several times now throughout his career. I don’t know the details of his injury or how serious it is, but, you know, if he had to go under the knife, it means there was no other option,” he added.

Nadal will not play at the 2023 Wimbledon Championships, and his participation at the 2023 US Open is doubtful. The 22-time Grand Slam champion will likely return in 2024, which could also be his last season as a professional.

“I really hope that, yeah, his recovery process can go well and that we can see him next season. He’s so important for our game on and off the court, one of the greatest legends of tennis in the history of the game,” Djokovic said.

“We want to see a healthy Rafa, no doubt about it, playing for what he announced as his last season. You know, hopefully, he’s gonna be able to do that,” he concluded.