On the heels of the US Open, following some incredible wins and some shocking upsets, it seems time-appropriate to highlight one of the best players in the game. Yes, we know that Federer and Nadal are awesome. We know that Serena – despite her vulgar tirade during the semi-finals – is an incredible force on the court. But what about some of the others – the ones who come from some of the smaller, often overlooked countries in the world? They are, without a doubt, the pride and joy of their respective homelands – and, during a generally bleak time for everyone, they give everyone something to feel good about!
First and foremost, congrats to the underdog champions, 20-year-old Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina (whose reaction to his win was unforgettable – I definitely would have climbed through the stands, over the crowd and up to my family to hug them just like he did) and Belgium’s Kim Clijsters, the first mother to win a Grand Slam event since 1980.
Congrats too, to the man I’d like to highlight: 22-year-old Novak “Nole” Djokovic of Serbia, who is ranked number 4 in the world. Why am I congratulating him, you may ask? Simply put: he killed it during this year’s US Open, and I was proud to watch him from the stands, with my smuggled Serbian flag in tow (apparently flags are not allowed on the courts). While he did lose to Federer in the Men’s Semi-Finals, 6′2″ Djokovic beat Verdasko, Stepanek, Witten, Ball and Ljubicic along the way.
Djokovic, who has been playing tennis since the age of four, is coached by former Slovak tennis player Marian Vajda, and has won numerous tournaments throughout his career, including his first Grand Slam singles title at the 2008 Australian Open. He’s an all-court player whose strength lies in groundstrokes, a mean serve (!) and defense.
What makes him really loveable, too, is his personality. He’s been known to do hilarious off-court impressions of his fellow players (and friends), some of whom have included Maria Sharapova, Rafael Nadal, and Carlos Moya. Most recently, his imitation of tennis legend John McEnroe won over a tough New York City crowd at the 2009 US Open. Oh-and ladies-he’s not too harsh on the eyes either!
Next up for “Nole” is the China Open, taking place in Beijing beginning October 5th.
You better believe we’ll be watching, proudly, with our Serbian flags in hand. Ziveli (“Cheers”) Nole!
