Novak Djokovic Salutes Kobe Bryant After French Open Victory

The tennis superstar attributed his mindset to the Basketball Hall of Famer.

Novak Djokovic enjoyed a record-breaking Sunday, winning his third French Open for his 23rd Grand Slam title, the most by a men’s tennis player ever. He did so in straight sets against Casper Ruud, dropping just one game on serve in the entire match.

Throughout his dominance, Djokovic always has displayed significant confidence in himself, going as far as to have a jacket with the number “23” ready to go for when he broke the record. After the match, NBC’s Maria Taylor asked him about the jacket, and Djokovic shouted out another legendary winner for inspiration.

“Mamba Mentality, Kobe Bryant,” Djokovic said. “You know it’s going to happen before it actually happens.”

Djokovic credits his mindset for his consistent success.

“I really believe in that power, mental power, projecting your thoughts and creating your future,” he said.

Djokovic has made a great case for his being the best men’s tennis player ever, and it appears he uses the same mindset that Bryant displayed while achieving greatness in basketball. The Mamba Mentality has made its way throughout sports since Bryant perfected it, and Djokovic is the latest athlete to adopt the motto.