"That destruction didn't destroy me, nor my people; our spirits are not broken" - Novak Djokovic's words to be written on his bust in the US

On September 11, the day the 2022 US Open final was scheduled to be played, Novak Djokovic's bust was unveiled at the Serbian Cultural Garden in the City of Cleveland, Ohio.

While Djokovic is the first athlete from his country to be given the honor since 2008, the garden has busts of numerous famous Serbians such as inventor Nikola Tesla, mathematician Milutin Milankovic, physicists Mileva Maric and Mihajlo Pupin, poets Jovan Ducic and Desanka Maksimovic, painter Nadezda Petrovic, and the last King of Serbia, Petar I Karadordevic.

Djokovic's statue has been modeled by sculptor Bojan Mikulic. After the Serb was banned from entering the country due to his unvaccinated status against COVID-19, the Tesla Science Foundation of Philadelphia decided that he should be symbolically present in the US on the day of the US Open final.

Through an online poll, the 12,000 members of the foundation decided that Djokovic's famous words regarding the 1999 bombings would be written on his bust.

"When NATO was destroying my country without a legal basis in 1999, I was a child. I vowed to conquer that same world in our own way and here I am today. That destruction did not destroy me, nor my people. Our spirits are not broken. We are still joyful, despite the problems. That is our victory," Djokovic once said.

For around 11 weeks between March and June 1999, NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) bombed Serbia in a bid to push the Serbian forces out of Kosovo, charging them with atrocities against ethnic Albanians.

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Novak Djokovic congratulates Carlos Alcaraz on his first Grand Slam title

Novak Djokovic (L) and Carlos Alcaraz

In the 2022 US Open final, Carlos Alcaraz outperformed Casper Ruud in four sets to lift his maiden Grand Slam title. After three hours and 20 minutes of play, the scorecard read 6-4, 2-6, 7-6(1), 6-3 in favor of Alcaraz, who became the youngest Major winner since Rafael Nadal's triumph at the 2005 French Open. At the age of 19, the Spaniard also became the youngest ATP World No. 1.

Like the rest of the world, Novak Djokovic took to social media to convey his wishes to both the finalists. While the Serb congratulated Alcaraz for winning his first Major, he acknowledged Ruud's "fantastic season," having reached a second Grand Slam final this year.

"Congratulations, Carlos Alcaraz, for your first Grand Slam. Amazing performance. Congratulations also to Casper Ruud for the fantastic season he is having," Novak Djokovic wrote on his Instagram stories.

After withdrawing from the Davis Cup, Djokovic will next be seen at the Laver Cup in London, where he is set to join Nadal and Federer to represent Team Europe.

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