Black Mamba, Kobe Bryant who spent 20 years of his life in serving the NBA team Los Angeles Lakers was killed in a helicopter crash in California on Sunday. Just one day before his sudden death, the Serbian legend Novak Djokovic revealed his relationship with Bryant at Australian Open 2020.

In 2017 when Novak’s career developed a downward slope, Bryant motivated him to resurge on the circuit. Things were going haywire and Bryant’s valuable advice remolded Djokovic’s tennis. It aided him to overcome his injury hurdle and once again dominate on the ATP Tour.

How Kobe Bryant supported Novak Djokovic to make a comeback?

“Kobe has been one of my mentors,” Djokovic said during the Australian Open 2020. “I’ve had several phone conversations with him and also of course when we see each other live in the past couple of years.”

“When I was going through the injury with my elbow and struggling to mentally and emotionally handle all of these different things that were happening to me and dropping in the rankings and then having to work my way up, he was one of the people who was really there for me to give me some very valuable advice and guidelines to kind of believe and trust in myself, trust the process that I’ll be back,” World Number two Djokovic shared.

The Serb mentioned that he was delighted to share a productive relationship with Bryant. Beyond the shadows of doubt, Djokovic will be despaired after learning about his unexpected demise.

“I’m very grateful to him for being there for me, for being very supportive. I love Kobe, who doesn’t? He’s an amazing guy and one of the best basketball players and athletes of all-time,” Djokovic added.

“Novak’s my guy” – Kobe Bryant

Kobe Bryant was present during US Open 2019. He tossed the coin for Roger Federer’s third-round match. At Flushing Meadows Bryant was in conversation with ESPN and there reflected upon his relationship with Djokovic.

“He was going through a process of, ‘Physically, I’m not where I used to be. How did you adjust and change your game? We talked about it for a while and having the acceptance of an athlete to say, ‘I’m not what I used to be.’ Novak’s my guy. We have a relationship. We’ve had a relationship for a long time,” Bryant shared.

At Australian Open 2020 Djokovic will be playing his quarterfinal match against Milos Raonic from Canada on Tuesday.