Novak Djokovic praises Virat Kohli at Laureus Awards 2026 (Screengrab/X) 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic expressed his admiration and affection for Indian cricket icon Virat Kohli at the Laureus World Sports Awards 2026, where he hosted alongside freestyle skiing sensation Eileen Gu. Speaking about his love for the Indian fans, Djokovic revealed that his interest in cricket started because of Kohli.Before the ceremony, during a red carpet interaction, the tennis legend was asked about his message for India. Djokovic said he has long admired the country and its passionate fans and also shared his desire to visit India soon.
Watch
Bombay Sport Exchange: Munaf Patel on Gautam Gambhir, Virat vs Bumrah and Indian bowling. “My message is always love, respect and appreciation for all the support that I have received personally from Indian tennis and sports fans from all over the world over the years. I have met so many of them during this time. My message would also be, ‘See you soon in India’ because I need to go there. I have felt the call to visit for the last few years. I really hope that I can come on that, play in India, where I will play a match. I wish that because I feel very close to the Indian people,” Djokovic told Times Now.Hailing from Serbia, a country where cricket is not widely followed, Djokovic also revealed how Virat Kohli influenced him to take up the sport.“Yes, Virat is a friend and someone I respect and admire of course. He’s actually, to be honest, the reason why I started watching cricket. I didn’t follow him before, but through him I started watching more. We’re in touch and I hope that when I come, I don’t want to say if, but when I come to India, he can join me and have a bit of fun and play a bit of positive vibes celebrating the sport,” added Djokovic.Meanwhile, tennis dominated the big stage at the 2026 Laureus World Sports Awards as Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka were crowned Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year. Held at the iconic Cibeles Palace in Madrid, the star-studded event celebrated the very best in global sport.
