Sport, particularly tennis, is known for its greatness and achievements. That is why the legends of the game give the public a chance to own a piece of their legacy. The reigning world No.1 Novak Djokovic’s first piece of legacy was the racket he used to defeat Rafael Nadal at the 2011 Wimbledon final.
It was reported that Djokovic threw the racket into the crowd and it was caught by Cordelia McKechnie, a mother of two from Hertfordshire, England, who sold it for $19,000. Another piece of Djokovic is said to be sold at a higher price.
Novak Djokovic’s 2016 French Open-winning racket at auction
Novak Djokovic’s match-winning racket that was used to defeat Andy Murray at the 2016 French Open final has been put up for auction, and experts believe it could sell for over six figures. This happened in June 2016, after the Serbian had won his 12th title and with joy, he threw the head racket into the crowd right where lucky fan Abby Doherty was seated. Abby managed to successfully snatch it from the air.
However, seven years later, the match-winning racket is now up for sale through California-based SCP Auctions, and the highest bid is currently at $19,489 but it is reportedly believed the price could eventually soar past $100,000.
The lady who caught the racket Abby Doherty was a college student in 2016 and she traveled to Paris with her family to watch the famed French Open at Roland-Garros, where she witnessed several matches, including the much-awaited tourney final between top-seeded Djokovic and 2nd-seeded Murray.
When asked about how she caught the racket after it was thrown into the crowd, Doherty said, “It was all in slow motion. He just flung it into the crowd. I had an “Oh my God” moment because it was coming right toward us.It hit my hand and it was deflected to the ground. I sprinted to it and put my foot on the racket and grabbed the handle. I held onto it real tight. After the match I ran down to the place where he exited the court. I wanted to get him to sign it, but I was unable to get his attention.”
“It was a really tough decision,” Doherty said on her decision to put the racket up for sale. “You’ve got this really cool piece of sports memorabilia but it’s been sitting in my closet for like, six years.”
Experts estimate the racket may sell for over $100,000
Novak Djokovic’s match-winning racket is expected to be sold for more than $100,000 in the auction market. The racket was what the Serbian used to secure his French Open title against British Andy Murray in a 3-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-4 victory in Paris.
The French Open victory also marked a calendar-year Grand Slam for Novak Djokovic, who won all four major events, which include the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open, within a 365-day period. Novak Djokovic now has 24 Grand Slams with 40 Masters 1000 titles and has spent 400 weeks as world no. 1.
The 27-inch-long racket features Djokovic’s custom double-wrapped, calfskin leather grip and also shows signs of wear and tear from the match with Murray. It is reported that Novak is also labeled within the throat across from a manually affixed SUN 27.0 white sticker, which can be seen in pictures from the match. The butt underneath the handle is properly labeled 4-3/8, which also matches up with Djokovic’s custom rackets.
Will Djokovic continue to dominate the tennis court in the coming years? Make sure to let us know what you think in the comments section.
