Man City’s Erling Haaland praises Novak Djokovic

The Norwegian and the Serb are top players in their respective sport

By Web Desk
February 06, 2024
Erling Haaland (L) praised Novak Djokovic (R). — AFP

Manchester City forward Erling Haaland picked Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic as his favourite personality from another sport.

Djokovic is turning 37 in May 2024 but he is still at the top of his game. The Serb recently reached the 2024 Australian Open semi-final where he lost to Jannik Sinner, who eventually went on to win the title.

Other than that, the 36-year-old clinched three Grand Slams — Australian Open, Roland Garros, and US Open — in 2023 beating the likes of Stefano Tsitsipas, Daniil Medvedev and other top players.

Djokovic is a 24-time Grand Slam winner, the most in history, 40 Masters 1000s and seven ATP Finals titles. Other than that, he is also the only player in history, male or female, to spend over 400 weeks as the no.1 in the ATP rankings.

On the other hand, Erling Haaland gathered fame during his time with Borussia Dortmund which earned him a move to Premier League side Man City.

In just his first season with the Manchester club, the Norwegian striker netted 52 goals in 53 matches across competitions and helped the club win their first-ever treble — Premier League, Champions League, and FA Cup.

Haaland was asked about his favourite athlete from another sport. The 23-year-old named Djokovic for the way he achieved everything while coming from nowhere.

"I like Djokovic. I think he's good. He's being himself and yeah, what he's achieved is also amazing, coming from nowhere and from his country. So, yeah, I'll take Djokovic,” Haaland said in a podcast. 

It is worth noting that Djokovic came from Serbia, a country not traditionally known for producing tennis greats. He also grew up during the Yugoslavia wars, which has already probably helped him develop a mental fortitude that helps him thrive in hostile environments.

Comments