Novak Djokovic Responds to Boy's Marriage Proposal During U.S. Open Practice

Novak warming-up in Cincy.
Photo: Jeff McKown

How do you become a fan favorite? Enjoy what you do and show it.

During a practice session this week at the U.S. Open, a boy shouted a marriage proposal to Novak Djokovic, the No. 2 ranked tennis player in the world.

Novak's response was charming and fun. The smart aleck kid doesn't get Djokovic's hand in marriage, but he does get an awesome surprise.

You can watch the young fan's encounter with Novak in the clip below.

(The proposal and Novak's response occur in the first 2 minutes and 30 seconds. The rest of the clip, while fun for tennis types, is Djokovic's serving practice.)

Here's a fun mini clip (14 seconds) Djokovic shared on Twitter this week. In the video, the star Serbian athlete shows off his serving accuracy with the help of a very brave member of his training/coaching team.

Best. Marriage. Proposal. Video. Ever.

This is such a fun, sweet, feel good video. Watch until the end and try not to get weepy (but don't be surprised if you do).

Two Hockey Girls In Love

Hockey fan at Senators-Leafs game

On any given night, you can attend an NHL hockey game and count on a few certainties, like overpriced beer, pale bearded white guys on ice skates, and an occasional fight breaking out.

In any given year, you can venture out on the night of March 17th and find some of your fellow human beings, particularly us Mc-SomethingOrOthers and hordes of our sympathizers, enjoying fairly predictable past times, like green beer, parades with bagpipes (however Scottish that might actually be), and drunken wailing that attempts to pass as traditional Irish folk music.

Here's what no one expected last weekend on St. Patrick's Day at an NHL game between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Ottawa Senators.

The first time I watched this video (Hat Tip to my friend Wes Crisp for sharing it via email) I actually got a little misty-eyed. Seeing people in love is always nice, but c'mon, I see that all the time and it's nothing to get all weepy about. And clever marriage proposals can be sweet, but those don't usually get me either.

I watched the clip a second time, and as I reflected on what moved me about the video, I realized that it was actually the cheer of the crowd that stirred me. I was touched by the way the fans reacted to the idea of two girls in love - with the same moment of roaring adulation they would have shown if the couple had been comprised of a man and a woman. The crowd, like me, simply felt happy, privileged even, to share in that moment of real personal joy with the couple on the ice - and so they cheered.

Thanks to the Ottawa Senators for hosting the proposal, kudos to the NHL for sharing the video on their website, and hurray for Canada - where they aren't afraid to let two people in love get married!