Novak Djokovic made a stunning run to win the French Open on Sunday for just the second time in his career. However, he had an equally heartwarming moment when he gifted the tennis racket he used during the match to a young fan eagerly watching and admiring the tennis great.
After being pushed to the brink of elimination in the championship, Djokovic stormed back and won in a best-of-five sets match. Following his electrifying victory, Djokovic shook hands with his competitor before heading over to the crowd, where he found a young boy and gave him the racket he had just used to defeat opponent Stefanos Tsotsipas. Stunned, the boy began crying tears of joy over such a meaningful piece of equipment being gifted to him by a living legend in the sport of tennis.
In the press conference following his exit from the court, Djokovic stated that he did not know the young boy, but that the child had been so loudly supportive during the match that he felt a need to reward him in some way.
While Djokovic was running on fumes during the championship, the extra spark he needed came from this unlikely source. With the win (facilitated by the young boy), Djokovic is now just one Grand Slam tournament victory away from 20, a record dually held by Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. The victory might be a good omen for Djokovic, though, as it was his seventh since he became 30 years old – the most anybody that age or older has won.
Djokovic will have a chance at history at the next Grand Slam event, Wimbledon, which is slated to begin on June 28.
