According to Djokovic, the meeting between the two sports legends took place in 2023, when Messi just joined Inter Miami. In an intimate conversation in the US, Messi asked Djokovic about tennis and wanted to receive advice to play better. However, the 24-time Grand Slam champion cleverly refused with a joke.
I met Lionel Messi at a restaurant in the US. He asked me for advice on tennis. I said to him:'Please, Messi, don't ask me that. I won't give you any information. You are dominating football, and now you want to dominate tennis? No, no, play football. When I retire, then you can play tennis'," Djokovic shared.
According to Djokovic, Messi's reaction was very comfortable and humorous. "Messi smiled and told me that he was lucky because football is played with feet, not with hands. But the truth is I am the lucky one, because if Leo played tennis, I probably wouldn't have won any titles," Djokovic added, while affirming that Messi is "the best football player of all time" and always brings him many emotions when watching matches.
At the age of 38, Djokovic still maintains his peak form and continues to be one of the world's leading tennis players. After more than two decades of professional competition, the Serbian tennis player has won 24 Grand Slam titles, Olympic Gold Medals and a series of other major and minor titles, affirming his legendary position in tennis history.
However, Djokovic also admitted that pursuing big goals in the late stages of his career requires careful calculation, especially in the context that young players are rising stronger and stronger. Behind-the-scenes stories like the meeting with Messi partly show mutual respect between stars in different sports.
Regarding Djokovic's future, former coach Patrick Mouratoglou said that fans do not need to worry too much about the retirement ability of the Serbian tennis player. "Don't worry about Novak Djokovic. He will be ready for tournaments. These may be Novak's last two years in his career, but he is still capable of competing at the highest level," Mouratoglou said.
Djokovic's shares not only bring an interesting perspective on the relationship between global sports icons, but also show the optimistic and humorous spirit of the Serbian tennis player in the final stage of his peak playing career.
