Djokovic’s 2012 Australian Open racquet fetches unprecedented $540,000 at auction.
The tennis racket utilized by 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic to secure victory at the 2012 Australian Open has been sold for $540,000 (including buyer’s premium) through SCP Auctions, setting a new record for the highest price paid for a tennis racket and tennis memorabilia.
The final match of the 2012 Australian Open, featuring Djokovic and Rafael Nadal, remains the longest Grand Slam Final in history at 5 hours and 53 minutes and is often regarded as one of the finest tennis matches ever contested. Djokovic is scheduled to compete for his 11th Australian Open title on Sunday against Carlos Alcaraz; a win would make him the first player in tennis history to achieve 25 Grand Slam titles.
The former record for a tennis racket or piece of tennis memorabilia was $173,066 for the racket used by Alcaraz to defeat Djokovic in 2023, earning his inaugural Wimbledon title.
The photo-matching firm Resolution Photomatching confirmed the racket’s association not only with the championship point — Djokovic reportedly gave the racket to the consignor shortly after his victory, as stated by SCP Auctions — but also with his quarterfinal and semifinal wins. Brendan Wells, vice president of the auction house, informed ESPN that the California-based auction house was excited to have “tripled the previous record for any tennis item.”
“It demonstrates once more that collectors with substantial resources seek the finest items,” Wells remarked. “Half a million for the greatest men’s player’s racket, from the longest Grand Slam Final, against his biggest rival, photo-matched to championship point? When you consider all these factors, why not? Another well-deserved record for the Djoker.”
Source: espn.com
