"You have the most beautiful smile" - Novak Djokovic makes young fan's day after spotting him in practice ahead of US Open semifinal
Novak Djokovic, after his practice session at the USTA Billie Jean King Center ahead of his semifinal match against Ben Shelton, complimented one of his young fans.
While spending time with the crowd, Djokovic had a brief exchange with a young fan named Ricky, who had reportedly been waiting for a chance to meet Novak for the past two years.
Speaking to Ricky, Novak Djokovic complimented the young fan saying,
“Hello hello! What’s your name? You have the most beautiful smile Ricky. How old are you?, he asked
When the fan mentioned that he had written a note for him, Novak requested the note be read aloud.
“Okay read it to me. What did you write for me? Did you write something for me? Can you read it to me? Where did you write the note?” Djokovic said.
Ricky, upon mentioning that he had been waiting to meet Novak Djokovic for two years, the Serb delightfully said:
“Wow! two years ago you wanted to see me at the US Open? Here we go, you made it happen. Thank you buddy, I love you!”.
Novak Djokovic will take on young American Ben Shelton in the 2023 US Open semifinals, marking his record 47th appearance in a Grand Slam semifinal, overtaking Swiss icon Roger Federer (46 appearances).
On Monday, September 4 at Arthur Ashe Stadium, Novak Djokovic advanced to the semifinals of the New York Major after defeating ninth seed Taylor Fritz 6-1, 6-4, 6-4. The Serbian hopes to capture his 24th grand slam title at this year's US Open.
Novak Djokovic- “Look! I care about this profession and I take it very seriously”
For the uninitiated, Novak Djokovic began playing tennis at the age of four. Having endured a great deal of adversity early in his life, he persevered to become a professional tennis player and since his debut in 2003, he hasn't looked back.
During his trophy presentations, Novak Djokovic has always thanked his team and family for bearing with him. In his latest post match interview, Djokovic spoke of the standards he sets for himself and his team to push on at the highest level in tennis.
"Look, I care about this profession and I take it very seriously. I know that a lot of the other players do too. You know, we expect the highest kind of dedication and I guess involvement from our team members, as our team members and coaching staff expect from us," he said.
The upcoming battle between Novak Djokovic and Ben Shelton is sure to be an exciting one.