Indian cricket icon Virat Kohli took to social media to praise tennis legend Novak Djokovic after the Serbian star staged a stunning comeback victory in the fourth round of Wimbledon 2025. Djokovic, trailing by a set and down 1-4 in the fourth against Australia’s Alex de Minaur, flipped the script in vintage fashion, eventually winning 1-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 to book his place in the quarterfinals.
Clearly impressed by Djokovic’s grit and mental strength, Kohli posted an Instagram story calling him a “gladiator” and shared a short clip from the match with the caption:
“What a win! It was business as usual for the gladiator.”
Djokovic Responds to Kohli’s Tribute
Djokovic, who is known for his humility and sportsmanship, didn’t let the compliment go unnoticed. He acknowledged Kohli’s post with a simple, heartfelt response:
“Thank you for supporting.”
The 38-year-old further opened up about their friendly connection, revealing they have shared messages over the years despite never meeting in person.
“It was really a privilege and an honour to listen to him speak nicely about me. I obviously admire all of his career and achievements,” said Djokovic.
“I started to play cricket. I’m not very good at it, but obviously, cricket is a big sport in Australia and of course India. I’ll have to perfect my cricket skills before I get to India so that I don’t embarrass myself.”
A Milestone Victory for Djokovic
With this win, Djokovic becomes only the third player in history to reach 100 Wimbledon match wins, joining Martina Navratilova and Roger Federer in an elite club. He’s also now into his 16th Wimbledon quarterfinal, setting up a clash with Italy’s Flavio Cobolli.
This tournament is particularly crucial for Djokovic, as a victory would earn him a record-tying eighth Wimbledon title, equaling Federer’s all-time men’s record and bringing his Grand Slam tally to 25, surpassing Margaret Court’s long-standing record.
“Still Processing the Match”
Speaking after the match, Djokovic admitted the win left him emotionally drained:
“I don’t know how I’m feeling to be honest. I’m still trying to process the whole match and what happened on the court.”
“He (De Minaur) was managing the play better from the back of the court. I didn’t have many solutions. I was very pleased to hang tough in the right moments and win this one.”
