The tennis
racket used by Novak Djokovic in the 2016 French Open final, where he achieved
the Career Grand Slam, was auctioned for over $100,000.
One of
Djokovic's most challenging feats in his career was securing his first French
Open title. The Serbian had reached the semifinals of the tournament four
times, losing in three finals—two to the 14-times Roland Garros champion Rafael
Nadal and the last in 2015 against Stan Wawrinka.
Right after drawing a heart on the clay, Djokovic threw his racket into the crowd and a lucky fan (Abby) caught it...
She said selling the racket was a tough decision: 'You've got this really cool piece of sports memorabilia but it's been sitting in my closet for like six years'
Roland Garros 2016 Final Novak Djokovic vs Andy Murray
'Nole'
already had 11 Grand Slam trophies since his first Australian Open win in 2008.
That year Nadal withdrew from the tournament in the third round, opening the
door for other contenders to have better chances of claiming the coveted
trophy.
In the
final, Djokovic faced Andy Murray for the seventh time in a Grand Slam final.
The British player took the lead in the first set, but Djokovic staged a
comeback, allowing him to win his first French Open and ultimately achieve the
Career Grand Slam (first men’s player to hold all four Grand Slam titles) with
a final score of 3-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-4.
After the
match, Djokovic threw his racket into the crowd amidst his celebrations, and a
lucky fan caught the racket, preserving it until a few days ago.
“Right
after drawing a heart on the clay, Djokovic threw his racket into the crowd and
a lucky fan (Abby) caught it... She said selling the racket was a tough
decision: 'You've got this really cool piece of sports memorabilia but it's
been sitting in my closet for like six years'”
The racket
was auctioned in California by SCP Auctions for $107,482, marking the highest
amount ever paid for a tennis racket in an auction. The racket, a Head Speed
Graphene Touch PT113B with a 27-inch frame, had a minimum bid of $10,000 and
received 23 bids.
