Ludvig Aberg reckons a high-five from tennis GOAT Novak Djokovic capped an unforgettable Ryder Cup debut.
The Swedish sensation completed another significant milestone in his career as he grabbed a first-day point. Aberg could hardly believe Djokovic was following him around Marco Simone just four months into his professional career and the gesture of congratulations seemed almost surreal.
The Serbian superstar had taken his Wimbledon trophy into the European team room on the eve of the battle. Aberg said: “I saw him a little bit (during the round) actually, but I got a high five at the end after the round and it was pretty cool. Really special. Obviously, he is the GOAT of tennis and to see him here supporting us, I think everyone really appreciates it.”
Aberg said his legs were jelly “multiple times” during his debut, but he was ably assisted by Viktor Hovland to settle into the groove. The Norwegian’s wonderful chip-in at the first got the European momentum going and the Swede rolled in key putts to press home the advantage.
Aberg said: “I was very nervous, but I had Viktor alongside me and it was kind of a comfort speaking the same language. He spoke Norwegian and I spoke Swedish. It’s very similar. I actually have two Norwegian roommates that I live with, so kind of got used to the language.
“Obviously, it’s a dream come true for me to play here and to get the first point on the board. I felt like we both played pretty well at times, kept our emotions intact and had a fun time.
“I didn’t sleep (the night before) for that long because we were up at 4am and it would have been weird if I wasn’t nervous. But the crowd really supported us. We felt the energy. From every tee box, every green, every fairway, you could feel the support and that was something I’ll never forget, absolutely.”