Revealed: The bizarre and heartwarming story behind Novak Djokovic's decision to wear a very strange shirt at the Australian Open
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Novak Djokovic may be at the centre of a media storm at the Australian Open, but the Serbian champion still found time to deliver one of the most wholesome moments of the tournament. The 10-time Australian Open champion experienced a touching surprise during an interview with Eurosport commentator and former Austrian tennis player Barbara Schett last week.
The surprise came in the form of Jan Lastovika, a devoted fan who met Djokovic 20 years ago during his Australian Open debut. Jan was joined by his wife, and the couple wore T-shirts featuring a photo of Jan with a 17-year-old Djokovic. The couple had been given tickets by Djokovic to watch the match from the broadcast booth, an experience they described as unforgettable.
Jan Lastovika first encountered Djokovic during his qualifying matches two decades ago. A dream come true ❤️How these two Novak Djokovic super fans were reunited with their hero 20 years later 🤩 pic.twitter.com/oCJEwapIJg. Novak Djokovic proudly wears the shirt his first Australian fan made for him to celebrate 20 years of supporting the Serbian.
Djokovic debuted at the Australian Open in 2005, losing in the first round to Marat Safin who would go on to beat Lleyton Hewitt in the final. At the time, Djokovic was just 17 years old and had only begun his journey on the world tennis stage. Reflecting on that moment, Jan said, '20 years ago, Djokovic qualified for the first time, he was 17 years old. I had been watching him, I went around, I said this guy is very good. There was nobody from Serbia, I was his only fan.'.