A Novak Djokovic fan spent $107,482 to buy a racket that the Serb smashed when he threw it into the crowd.
The property was put on the market by the prolific tennis player following his coronation at Roland-Garros in 2016. It was auctioned this Sunday and became the most expensive tennis racket ever purchased in history.
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It was an American woman named Abby Doherty who grabbed the device.
“Everything happened in slow motion. He simply threw it into the crowd, she recalled in an interview with media outlet Sports Collectors Daily. I had an “Oh my God” moment because the noise was coming straight at us. She touched my hand and deflected it towards the ground. I ran to her, put my foot on the bat and grabbed the handle. I held her tight.”
$107,482: High bid tonight @scpauctions for a tennis racket that Novak Djokovic used to complete his calendar and career Grand Slam at the 2016 French Open.
This is the highest price ever paid for a tennis racket at auction. pic.twitter.com/wlqj7IURE3
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) December 3, 2023
In the final of the 2016 French Open, Djokovic defeated Britain's Andy Murray in four sets 3:6, 6:1, 6:2 and 6:4. It was the first time he triumphed at the Porte d'Auteuil and the twelfth of his 24 Grand Slam titles.