The story behind champion Novak Djokovic’s t-shirt and celebrating family
When Alexandra Munro got a late night call to design a commemorative t-shirt for the men’s Australian Open final, her frantic midnight effort resulted in the t-shirts being worn by champion Novak Djokovic’s celebrating family.
Munro, a small business owner from Melbourne, was overwhelmed with excitement when asked to design the ‘Team Djokovic’ t-shirts that were worn by the champion’s inner circle, including his uncle Goran Djokovic and mum Dijana Djokovic, shortly after he won.
The distinctive white t-shirt featured the number 10 with a Serbian flag design on the front and back, symbolising ten Australian Open grand slams.
“Seeing them pull the t-shirts out and just so proudly put them on, I was just like, wow, what an amazing moment,” said Munro, owner of the Mornington Peninsula-based business, Death By Zero.
The opportunity to design and print the t-shirt was a chance ask by Melbourne restaurant owner and friend of the Djokovic’s, Stefano Rassu, who footed the bill as a gift to the family that he’s known for the past eight years.
“I was thinking if he doesn’t win – because we put 10 and 2023 in the design – they’re going in the bin. But, I was pretty confident he was going to win.”
Small business owner Alexandra Munro
“They [the Djokovics] used to come to my restaurant in Melbourne, Pomdoro Sardo, for eight years,” Rassu said.“They are very simple and humble people.”
Novak himself has also dined many times at the restaurant that closed a few years ago.
However, making the t-shirts was a frantic midnight task for Munro, who purchased the business three months ago and has only one full-time employee.
“I got a call at 11 pm and told my team, we need to do this,” she said.
Munro, along with her employee, designed and printed the 20 t-shirts for the family out of her warehouse.
“I was thinking if he doesn’t win – because we put 10 and 2023 in the design – they’re going in the bin,” she said. “But, I was pretty confident he was going to win.”
The tennis ace who was wearing his own custom jacket by his sponsor Lacoste, shared a picture on social media where the Death By Zero design was also on full display.
Now, Death By Zero, will start selling the same t-shirt to Djokovic fans, but Munro said making money from the design was never her intention.
“We did it because it was cool to be a part of that historic moment,” she said. “It was nice gesture for the family, I didn’t expect it to be a plug, I thought it might end up being a few photos to post online.”
Stefano Rassu who joined the Djokovic’s as their guest in the player’s box and brought the t-shirts to the game said the family loved it. “It was a big surprise, they loved it,” Rassu said.
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Source: Thanks smh.com