Novak Djokovic is determined to solidify his status as a tennis legend as he seeks his 100th ATP Tour title. This ambition comes with a bit of playful pressure from an unexpected source: the son of football icon Lionel Messi.
The 37-year-old Serbian tennis star is set to compete against young Czech player Jakub Mensík, who is unseeded, in the Miami Open final. This match presents Djokovic with the opportunity to join the exclusive club of male players who have won 100 or more tournament titles in the Open Era, alongside Roger Federer and Jimmy Connors.
Djokovic`s dominant victory over Grigor Dimitrov in the semi-finals, with a score of 6-2, 6-3, was witnessed by Lionel Messi. Messi, often hailed as the greatest footballer of all time, met Djokovic after the match. They exchanged shirts and took photos together.
During their meeting, one of Messi`s sons jokingly suggested to Djokovic that he needs to elevate his game to surpass Federer as the oldest Masters champion. Djokovic found this feedback amusing and touching, especially since Messi brought his whole family to the match.
Djokovic expressed his admiration for Messi, acknowledging his immense impact on the world of sports over the past two decades. He mentioned feeling honored and excited to play in front of Messi, though it also added a bit of pressure. Djokovic shared that Messi’s son rated his performance an eight out of ten and encouraged him to reach a ten in the final match.
Having secured his 99th title at the Olympic Games in Paris, Djokovic is eager to achieve his 100th. He has been focused on reaching the level of play necessary to compete for major titles and is pleased with his preparation and performance at the Miami Open, where he has not yet dropped a set. He views the final as a significant opportunity and is looking forward to the challenge.
