{"id":4141,"date":"2026-04-21T03:22:35","date_gmt":"2026-04-21T03:22:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/1win.za.com\/ipl\/virat-kohlis-global-pull-even-reaches-tennis-star-novak-djokovic"},"modified":"2026-04-21T03:22:35","modified_gmt":"2026-04-21T03:22:35","slug":"virat-kohlis-global-pull-even-reaches-tennis-star-novak-djokovic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/1win.za.com\/ipl\/virat-kohlis-global-pull-even-reaches-tennis-star-novak-djokovic","title":{"rendered":"Virat Kohli\u2019s global pull even reaches tennis star Novak Djokovic"},"content":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s hard to think of a sporting figure who has reached the kind of global profile Virat Kohli enjoys. While there may have been great players before him\u2014and there are sure to be stars emerging in the future\u2014Kohli\u2019s influence on cricket\u2019s worldwide visibility is difficult to dispute. His popularity has even spilled beyond the game itself, with names from football and tennis publicly admitting their admiration for the former India captain.<\/p>\n

David Beckham, Harry Kane and Novak Djokovic are among those who have spoken about how much they value Kohli\u2019s presence and persona. Djokovic, in particular, drew attention to Kohli\u2019s reach three years ago when he revealed he was surprised to discover that Kohli had more followers on Instagram than LeBron James.<\/p>\n

Djokovic on his connection with Kohli<\/h2>\n
    \n
  1. Djokovic explained that Kohli was instrumental in sparking his own interest in cricket, saying he started following the sport because of the India star.<\/li>\n
  2. He described Kohli as both a friend and someone he respects and admires, adding that his cricket journey became more consistent through Kohli\u2019s influence.<\/li>\n
  3. Djokovic also said they keep in touch, and expressed a wish to spend time together when he comes to India\u2014suggesting they could enjoy a mix of tennis and cricket while celebrating sport and sharing positive energy.<\/li>\n
  4. Speaking during the Laureus World Sports Awards on Tuesday, Djokovic said, \u201cVirat is a friend and someone I, of course, respect and admire,\u201d and stressed that Kohli was the reason he began watching the sport more closely.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Wimbledon moment and social media exchange<\/h3>\n

    Last year, Kohli watched live action at Wimbledon, where Djokovic faced Alex de Minaur in a fourth-round encounter. Djokovic won that match, and Kohli later posted on Instagram to congratulate him.<\/p>\n

    Djokovic then replied, thanking Kohli for the gesture and the kind words that followed.<\/p>\n

    Djokovic\u2019s \u201cmessage for India\u201d<\/h2>\n
      \n
    1. Djokovic said he genuinely values the support he receives from Indian fans, noting that he has met many of them over time.<\/li>\n
    2. He shared what he called his message: love, respect and appreciation for Indian tennis fans and sports supporters across the world.<\/li>\n
    3. He added that he wants to reach India sooner rather than later, describing it as feeling like a \u201ccalling\u201d for the past couple of years.<\/li>\n
    4. Djokovic said he hopes to come to India to attend an event, play a match, or take part in some form of sporting activity.<\/li>\n
    5. He concluded by saying he feels very close to Indian people and genuinely wants to be there.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      With Djokovic\u2019s admiration for Kohli clearly evident\u2014and with a potential India visit on the horizon\u2014the two sports worlds appear set for another meaningful crossover, this time driven by personal respect, fandom, and a shared love of competition.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      It\u2019s hard to think of a sporting figure who has reached the kind of global profile Virat Kohli enjoys. While there may have been great…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":4140,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_title":"Virat Kohli IPL News: Djokovic Praises India Star","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Virat Kohli\u2019s IPL fame crosses sports borders as Novak Djokovic praises the India star\u2014plus other global celebrities show their admiration.","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4141","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ipl"],"yoast_head":"\nVirat Kohli IPL News: Djokovic Praises India Star<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Virat Kohli\u2019s IPL fame crosses sports borders as Novak Djokovic praises the India star\u2014plus other global celebrities show their admiration.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" 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