Virat Kohli backs Novak Djokovic to win Wimbledon 2025

LONDON: India’s batting stalwart Virat Kohli threw his weight behind Serbia’s Novak Djokovic to win the men’s singles title at Wimbledon 2025, labelling the 24-time Grand Slam winner a ‘deserving’ candidate.

Kohli, alongside his wife Anushka Sharma, attended the Serb’s Round of 16 match against Australia’s Alex de Minaur on Monday at the Centre Court.

Following the 38-year-old’s victory, which powered him into his 16th Wimbledon quarter-finals, Kohli expressed his desire for the former to win the prestigious tournament after beating Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz in the final.

Kohli backed his desire by citing the hard work Djokovic put in to prepare for the tennis’s biggest spectacle and labelled him as the ‘deserved’ winner.

“I’ve been in touch with Novak Djokovic for a while now. We’ve exchanged messages, and he’s been very gracious and kind. I’d love to see Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz in the final — and I hope Novak wins this one,” said Kohli.

“That would be a tremendous achievement at this stage of his career. He’s definitely in the conversation as one of the greatest of all time — if not the greatest — with the highest number of Grand Slam titles.

“He truly deserves it for all the hard work he’s put in. I really hope he plays Carlos in the final and wins.”

Former India captain Kohli also shared his thoughts on handling pressure in cricket compared to tennis.

“It’s a lot of pressure because there are so many people in the stadium. But I’d say it’s not as intimidating as Centre Court because of how far the fans are from you," Kohli said.

"When we’re batting, you can zone out — you don’t hear the cheers, boos, or comments directly. That only happens when you’re fielding near the boundary. But even then, the pressure isn’t solely on your individual skill at every moment," he added.

Virat Kohli then admitted that the closest cricket comes to that level of intensity is during “peak” fixtures like India-Pakistan clashes in the World Cup.

“It can only be replicated in high-stakes matches like an India-Pakistan World Cup game or a semifinal or final, where your legs are literally shaking from pressure. These tennis players probably feel that pressure from the quarterfinal stage onward,” he said.