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World No. 1 Novak Djokovic has found similarities in his football game with Real Madrid legend Luka Modric.
Djokovic last competed at the 2024 Australian Open, where he reached the semifinals. He is now gearing up to make his 15th appearance at the BNP Paribas Open, also known as the Indian Wells Masters. He has won the tournament five times (2008, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2016).
The Serb has indulged in outdoor training sessions with his team since arriving in California. After a game of football, he reflected on his skills on the grass turf and compared his game to Croatia and Real Madrid legend Luka Modric.
"Im a Luka Modric you know, I'm that kind of a player, I love to have a 360 view of the pitch, assists, making good runs," Novak Djokovic jokingly said in an interview with Tennis TV.
Luka Modric is a well-renowned name in the world of football and has represented famous clubs such as Dinamo Zagreb, Tottenham Hotspur and Real Madrid. Modric has won five Champions League titles with Real Madrid. He also won the highest individual honor in football, the Ballon d'Or in 2018.
Djokovic, meanwhile, also engaged in a light-hearted agility routine with World No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka. The duo used a pink ball during a partner-running drill.
Watch the video below:
While Djokovic will compete at Indian Wells for the first time in five years, Sabalneka secured a runner-up finish at the tournament last season.
Novak Djokovic to square off against Aleksandar Vukic in BNP Paribas Open R2
Top seed Novak Djokovic will take on Aleksandar Vukic in the second round of the BNP Paribas Open. While Djokovic received a first-round bye, Vukic began his campaign by beating Shintaro Mochizuki 7-6(4), 7-6(6).
The duo have never faced each other on the ATP tour, so their head-to-head currently stands at 0-0. The winner will meet either Zhang Zhizhen or Luca Nardi in the third round.
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