Would love to play some cricket with Virat, planning India visit in near future: Djokovic

New Delhi, July 7 (IANS) Serbian tennis great Novak Djokovic shared his admiration for Indian cricket stalwart Virat Kohli, saying he would love to play some cricket with the batting great, adding that he is planning to visit in the near future.

Last year at Wimbledon on July 7, alongside his wife, Bollywood actress Anushka Sharma, Kohli witnessed Djokovic’s thrilling round of 16 win against Australia’s Alex de Minaur and later took to Instagram to share his excitement, posting a heartfelt story for the Serb. “What a match. It was business as usual for the gladiator, @djokernole,” Kohli had shared on X.

“I would love to play some cricket and tennis with Virat Kohli. I am planning to visit India in the near future, and we have been communicating about it. I know Virat is a global star, but especially in India, he is incredible. I would love for him to be my host and show me around. I have a lot of respect for him and for Indian cricket.

“Cricket is not big in Serbia, where I come from. But some of the people in my team are British, and they love cricket. So I have been learning about the game over the last 10 to 15 years. I still need to work on my cricketing skills. Maybe Virat can help me with my technique and bat swing. But seriously, I have great respect and admiration for him. I would love to get the chance to meet him in his home country India,” said Djokovic on JioStar.

Djokovic, who added another remarkable chapter to his glittering career on Sunday, becoming the most successful men’s singles player in the tournament’s history, opened up about what Wimbledon means to him and said this was the tournament he dreamt of winning as a child.

When the seven-time champion defeated Roman Safiullin 7-6(6), 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 in a thrilling fourth-round match, he surpassed Roger Federer’s record of 105 Wimbledon men’s singles victories. This win sent Djokovic to his ninth consecutive Wimbledon quarter-final and the 17th of his impressive career.

“A lot of my legacy is built on what I have achieved here at Wimbledon. I’ve said it many times, and I’ve always been open about it. This was the tournament I dreamed of winning as a child. I always wanted to do well here, always wanted to win Wimbledon and become world number one. I was blessed to experience that in 2011. And then, to go on and win the tournament seven times in total and play in so many finals, it has been an incredible journey.

“For some reason, I have always managed to bring out the best tennis of my life on this grass surface, especially on Centre Court. The energy, the history, the atmosphere – it all brings something extra out of me. I don’t take these opportunities for granted. To still be able to write my own history and the history of the sport, to still be performing at this level and be in another quarter-final, it means a lot. Hopefully, I can go at least a few more steps further this year.”

Djokovic will next face either Felix Auger-Aliassime or Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the quarter-finals, with a potential blockbuster semi-final against world No. 1 and defending champion Jannik Sinner on the horizon.

–IANS

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