NOVAK DJOKOVIC roared to his record-breaking 24th Grand Slam – and then broke down in tears on the court.
The Serbian champ fully appreciated the magnitude of beating Daniil Medvedev in the US Open final.
GettyNovak Djokovic won the US Open to make it 24 Grand Slams[/caption]
Djokovic fell to the ground and broke down in tears after triumphing in Arthur Ashe StadiumRex
Djokovic wore a T-shirt with NBA legend Kobe BryantRex
APHe got emotional as he celebrated with his daughter Tara[/caption]
Djokovic cruised past Medvedev 6-3 7-6 6-3, avenging his defeat in the same match two years ago when the Russian denied him the Calendar Grand Slam.
After securing victory when Medvedev netted a forehand, the Serbian threw his racket away and fell to the ground before sobbing on the court.
The tennis ace then celebrated with his wife, kids and team in the stands.
And as he returned to the court, Djokovic seemed to have gotten emotional again, choking up as he thanked the fans inside Arthur Ashe Stadium.
He then put on a T-shirt that featured a picture of himself posing with Kobe Bryant in a tribute to the late NBA icon, who he always admired.
The top had “Mamba Forever” written on the front.
Djokovic later explained he and Bryant were close friends and shared the same winning mentality.
The tennis star added he wanted to honour the legendary Los Angeles Lakers guard since it was his 24th Grand Slam title – and Kobe used to wear No24 in the NBA.
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Djokovic moved past Serena Williams on the list of players with the most Grand Slam singles titles in tennis’ professional era.
He’s now tied with Margaret Court – who started collecting majors before the pro era started in 1968 – for the most all-time.
At age 36, Djokovic also became the oldest singles winner in US Open history.
He went 27-1 in Grand Slam tournaments this year, winning the Australian Open and French Open in addition to his victory at Flushing Meadows.
His only defeat came in the epic Wimbledon final where he lost to Carlos Alcaraz in five sets.
GettyDjokovic’s wife Jelena was in the stands to cheer on her husband[/caption]
AFPDjokovic put in a dominant display on Sunday evening[/caption]
GettyDjokovic breezed past Daniil Medvedev in straight sets[/caption]
AFPThe Serbian got revenge for the 2021 final[/caption]
GettyThe Serb’s team all wore 24 jackets to mark the record[/caption]