“Amazing achievement” – Rafael Nadal leads plaudits for Novak Djokovic after record-breaking win, updated with Evert acclaim
There were celebrities looking on in person and around the world as Novak Djokovic made tennis history on Sunday
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© AI / Reuters / Panoramic
Rafael Nadal led the congratulations for Novak Djokovic, who won his 23rd Grand Slam title at Roland-Garros on Sunday.
It was ironic that the record-breaking victory came for Djokovic on a ground that the Spaniard had considered his own.
“Many congrats on this amazing achievement,” Nadal wrote on social media. “23 is a number that just a few years back was impossible to think about, and you made it! Enjoy it with your family and team!”
Chris Evert – a clay-court queen herself with seven Roland-Garros titles of her own – wrote on Twitter: “Over the past 50 years, I’ve seen and studied every champion in tennis. I have never seen anyone like Novak Djokovic. The combination of mental, physical, and emotional strength that goes into every shot is unmatched. Time to really appreciate this man.”
Other tennis stars and celebrities joined in, of course.
Judy Murray, former Great Britain captain and mother of Andy and Jamie, shared a photo from the archives, saying: “This is what Novak Djokovic looked like when I first watched him play against Andy when they were 11. What an incredible career he has gone on to have.”
This is what Novak Djokovic looked like when I first watched him play against Andy when they were 11. What an incredible career he has gone on to have. Record breaking 23 Grand Slam titles ….. 🐐 ⭐️ 🇷🇸 👏👏👏👏👏@rolandgarros pic.twitter.com/wvfH0wlFFw
— judy murray (@JudyMurray) June 11, 2023
Victoria Azarenka praised “the greatest mental strength of any athlete ever seen”.
Watching tennis history unfold in person on Court Philippe-Chatrier were soccer stars Olivier Giroud, Kylian Mbappe and Zlatan Ibrahimovic and NFL’s Tom Brady – all of whom were thanked by Djokovic in his speech – as well as former boxer Mike Tyson.
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