Kohli Voices Support for Djokovic, Cites Hard Work

London: Indian batting star Virat Kohli has publicly endorsed Novak Djokovic of Serbia for the Wimbledon 2025 men’s singles title, calling the 24-time Grand Slam champion a highly ‘deserving’ contender.

Kohli, accompanied by his wife Anushka Sharma, was present at Centre Court on Monday to watch Djokovic’s Round of 16 match against Australian player Alex de Minaur.

Following Djokovic’s victory, which secured him a spot in his 16th Wimbledon quarter-final, Kohli articulated his hope for Djokovic to emerge victorious in the tournament, potentially against Carlos Alcaraz of Spain in the final.

Kohli supported his view by highlighting the dedication Djokovic has shown in preparation for this major tennis event, describing him as the ‘deserved’ champion.

“I’ve been in communication with Novak Djokovic for some time. We’ve exchanged messages, and he has been incredibly kind and thoughtful. I am eager to see a final between Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz — and I am rooting for Novak to win,” Kohli stated.

“Securing the title would be an extraordinary accomplishment at this stage of his career. He is undoubtedly in the discussion as one of the greatest players of all time — perhaps the greatest — evidenced by his record number of Grand Slam titles.

“He truly merits it because of his immense hard work. I am really hoping he competes against Carlos in the final and achieves victory.”

Former India captain Kohli also commented on the pressures in cricket versus tennis.

“There’s considerable pressure due to the large crowd in the stadium. However, I believe it’s less overwhelming than Centre Court because of the distance between the fans and the players,” Kohli remarked.

“When batting, it’s possible to tune things out – you don’t directly hear the cheers, boos, or remarks. That primarily happens when fielding near the boundary. Even then, the pressure isn’t solely on your individual skill at every moment,” he added.

Virat Kohli noted that the closest parallel in cricket to this intensity occurs during crucial matches, such as India-Pakistan encounters in the World Cup.

“This intensity is matched only in high-stakes contests like an India-Pakistan World Cup match, or a semi-final or final, where the pressure makes your legs tremble. Tennis players likely experience this level of pressure starting from the quarterfinal stage,” he concluded.