‘Djokovic can definitely pull of my shots’ – Rishabh Pant draws parallels between tennis and cricket

Indian vice-captain Rishabh Pant was spotted attending the ongoing Wimbledon 2025 tournament in London, where he watched the Round 4 clash between Jannik Sinner and Grigor Dimitrov. He is currently in London for the third Test against England at Lord’s, starting July 10, and took some time off to enjoy tennis.

Pant, known for his fearless and unorthodox stroke play on the cricket field, expressed his admiration for tennis great Novak Djokovic and called him a player who could mirror his own audacious approach to the game. India levelled the Test series 1-1 with a 336-run commanding victory at Edgbaston, the first-ever Test win at the venue for the visitors.

Interestingly, Pant revealed he is backing Spanish sensation Carlos Alcaraz to lift the Wimbledon trophy this year. Alcaraz secured a quarter-final win over Cameron Norrie and is set to face American Taylor Fritz in the semi-final.

“I think I have to support Alcaraz. I think he’s going to win Wimbledon. That’s my prediction. Rest, whoever plays the best tennis eventually is going to win. I think Djokovic definitely can pull it off (my shots) for sure,” Pant said to Star Sports.

Pant also opened up about his long-standing admiration for tennis legend Roger Federer, sharing that Federer’s iconic backhand was a major source of inspiration for him while growing up. Additionally, the Indian wicketkeeper-batter expressed a sense of connection with Nick Kyrgios, citing their shared on-field charisma.

“When we started, I think Roger Federer, I used to love his backhand, and that was something which always inspired me. But at the same time, the way sport is evolving, Djokovic has been amazing. I think Nick Kyrgios (has the same charisma as Pant), I think he’s one guy I really used to enjoy watching because the way he plays, he enjoys his game, that is something I always look forward to,” Pant added.

Meanwhile, Pant has been in stellar form with the bat, scoring 342 runs in four innings at an impressive average of 85.50, including two centuries and a half-century. He will be back in action on July 10 when India take on England in the third Test at Lord’s.

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