Cricket has started to gain popularity globally in the recent years with the advent of the T20 format. A top Serbian athlete has started following cricket, and the reason behind it is Virat Kohli.
Speaking at the Laureus World Sports Awards, tennis star Novak Djokovic revealed that Kohli is a friend and because of him he has started following cricket. Both the top athletes of the world have not met in person and have only connected virtually.
But Djokovic wishes to meet Kohli whe he gets a chance to visit India in the future.
“Yes, Virat is a friend and someone I, of course, respect and admire. He’s actually, to be honest, the reason why I started following cricket. I hadn’t followed it before, but through him, I started following it more. We keep in touch, and hopefully, when I come, I don’t want to say if, but when I come to India, hopefully he can join me. We could do a little bit of tennis and a little bit of cricket, have fun, and just spread positive, good vibes while celebrating sport,” Djokovic told Times Now.
Djokovic appreciated the fans from India who have supported him through his career, and the Serb wished to visit the country soon.
“My message is always love, respect, and appreciation for all the support I have personally been receiving from Indian tennis and sports fans around the world over the years. I’ve met so many of them during this time. My message would also be: ‘See you very soon in India,’ because I need to go there. I’ve been feeling a calling to visit for the last couple of years. I really hope that I’ll be able to come to India to host an event, play a match, or whatever it may be. I really wish for that because I feel very close to the Indian people,” Djokovic said.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion also spoke about his rivalry with the sport’s rising stars, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, but said that for him, the ‘Big Three’ will always remain on a pedestal.
“I think the rivalry between Sinner and Alcaraz is also great and unique in its own way. But for me, the ‘Big Three’ will always remain the greatest,” Djokovic asserted.
