Football Tennis

'A lot of Greatness in this pic' - Fans react as Novak Djokovic meets football legend Lionel Messi in New York

Novak Djokovic recently won the Cincinnati Open 2023 final after defeating the World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz in the final of the tournament.

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Daniel S
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Novak Djokovic and Lionel Messi

Recently, the sporting fraternity witnessed a special moment when the Argentine football legend and FIFA World Cup 2022 champion skipper, Lionel Messi, met the Serbian tennis icon Novak Djokovic alongside the co-owner of Inter Miami football club, Jorge Mas. The two legends were standing next to each other while posing for a photograph.

Earlier, Djokovic had also expressed his admiration for Messi and the respect he has in his heart for the legendary winger. Notably, Djokovic was in attendance when Messi-led Argentina defeated France to clinch the FIFA World Cup 2022 title after a long wait of 36 years.

I admire Messi and respect him a lot: Novak Djokovic on Lionel Messi

"I was really fortunate to be there present. By many people, it's the best World Cup final ever. What an outstanding finish, the way they won it, the way they were welcomed at home,” said Djokovic on the sidelines of the World Tennis League just after Argentina’s historic win in the FIFA World Cup 2022 final against France.

"As a sports fan, as a football fan, of course, I admire Messi and respect him a lot. I think most of the world is happy with his achievements and what he has managed to do. Him being humble, a down-to-earth guy, not taken away by success,” he added.

Speaking of Djokovic, he recently clinched the Cincinnati Open title after defeating the World Number 1 and young tennis star Carlos Alcaraz in the final of the tournament. It was also the 39th ATP Masters 1000 title for Djokovic. He cleared off the books with Alcaraz as the latter defeated the Serb veteran in the historic final of the Wimbledon 2023 championship.

Now, the 36-year-old will be in action in the upcoming US Open, where he will be making a comeback after a long absence of 2 years since he lost the US Open 2021 final. The fans were also elated following the meeting of the two sporting legends of their respective games. They took to social media to pour out their admiration and love for Messi and Djokovic.

Here’s how fans reacted:

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