Novak Djokovic’s racket from famous Wimbledon win goes to auction expecting to fetch five-figure sum

A piece of memorabilia every tennis nut will want to get their hands on

The tennis racket Novak Djokovic used to win his first Wimbledon title is going to auction - and is expected to fetch a huge amount. The world number one defeated Rafael Nadal on July 3, 2011 to claim his first British grand slam title.

He then threw the racket into the crowd in celebration - and it was caught by mother of two Cordelia McKechnie, from Hertfordshire. After twelve years, the racket will go up for sale on September 5-6 - potentially just days after Djokovic features in his eighth Wimbledon final.

The racket is expected to fetch around £10,000-15,000. McKechnie, an NHS Ophthalmologist who watched Djokovic’s first win, recalled the day.

She said: “I had already been lucky enough to win tickets through the ballot for Wimbledon, so to walk away with the racket that Djokovic used to make the winning shot was unbelievable.

“I was overwhelmed with excitement for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity from someone whose commitment and discipline to the sport I admire so much.”

The item will feature as part of a broader sale by Northampton-based Graham Budd Auctions, featuring over 1,000 lots. Other items up for grabs include Jonny Wilkinson’s final shirt that he wore during the first half of the 2003 Rugby World Cup (estimated £40,000-60,000), and Sandy Carmichael’s ‘Try of the Century match’ shirt - where Barbarians faced the All Blacks in 1973.

David Convery, head of sporting memorabilia at Graham Budd Auctions, said: “This match-winning tennis racket is truly a great piece of memorabilia for any Djokovic fan or collector.

Novak Djokovic’s racket from famous Wimbledon win goes to auction expecting to fetch five-figure sum

“The interior is stamped with Novak’s name, the grip is personalised for Djokovic and the racket is in an overall good condition 12 years after his first Wimbledon win.

“It’s strange to think that Djokovic was once a person only true tennis fans knew well. This tennis racket represents a crucial moment in Djokovic’s rise to become one of the best players of all time.”

For more information, visit Graham Budd Auctions website.