Serbian tennis icon Novak Djokovic on Saturday (June 27) opened up on his virtual friendship with Indian batting legend Virat Kohli, revealing plans for a future tennis-cricket crossover session in India.
Speaking ahead of the 2026 Wimbledon tournament, Djokovic stated that while he and Kohli have never met face-to-face, they have shared a deep mutual respect through text messages for years.
“We have not met in person, we have texted, we have been in touch for the last few years, following each other, supporting each other, admiring each other’s careers - hopefully I will get a chance to meet him in person & play some tennis, play some cricket,” Djokovic said in a video posted by Wimbledon on social media.
“I am also planning to come to India soon so maybe that’s where we can get the link up,” he added.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion had previously credited Kohli as the sole reason he began closely following the sport of cricket.
“Yes, Virat is a friend and someone I, of course, respect and admire. He’s actually, to be honest, the reason why I started following cricket. I hadn’t followed it before, but through him, I started following it more,” Djokovic had said.
Talking about Virat Kohli, he recently missed the ODI series against Afghanistan due to a hamstring injury sustained during the IPL 2026 final last month.
Having cleared the fitness test, the star batter is all set to return to action in the upcoming ODI series against England, slated to begin on July 14 at Edgbaston.
