Tennis star, Novak Djokovic, made history on Sunday night by winning his fourth US Open and record-equalling 24th Grand Slam title with a straight-sets victory against Daniil Medvedev.
This was after he battled past the Russian 6-3 7-6(7-5) 6-3 to win the US Open and equal Margaret Court’s record haul of 24 Grand Slams.
The victory, his fourth in 10 Flushing Meadows finals, capped another remarkable Grand Slam campaign for Djokovic with wins at the Australian, French, and US Opens.
It also meant he would make a return to the top of the world rankings when they are updated on Monday.
The 36-year-old Serb becomes the oldest US Open men’s winner in the Open Era and the first to win three Grand Slam events in a season for the fourth time.
Djokovic said: “It obviously means the world to me. I’m really living my childhood dream.
“To make the history of this sport is something truly remarkable, it’s hard to describe the words.
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“I had the childhood dream when I was 7, 8, I wanted to become the best player in the world.”
Djokovic has already won more Grand Slams than any man and now shares the overall record with Court.
After clinching his historic title, Djokovic threw his racquet in the air and dropped to his knees as the capacity crowd roared.
He would pick himself up and find his young daughter courtside for an emotional hug.
He then went back to the bench where he pulled out a T-shirt with “Mamba Forever” on the front and the number 24 on the back.
The shirt was a tribute to both his achievement and late friend Los Angeles Lakers great Kobe Bryant, who wore the number throughout much of his all-star career before dying in a helicopter crash.
He added: “I thought of doing this T-shirt, eventually, if I get the chance to win the tournament.
“Kobe was a close friend, we chatted a lot about the winner’s mentality.
“When I was struggling with injury he was one of the people I relied on the most. He was always there for any kind of counsel, advice.
“I thought 24 is the jersey that he wore when he became a legend of Lakers and world basketball.”
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