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Novak Djokovic continues to defy expectations at 39 years old, with 24 Grand Slam titles to his name. This was evident in his Wimbledon 2026 quarter-final match against the formidable Felix Auger-Aliassime, whom he defeated 7-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-7, 7-6 after five hours and fifteen minutes in his longest match at the London Grand Slam tournament.
The Serb, who is set to face Jannik Sinner in the semi-finals, struggled to find words to describe his feelings after yet another monumental achievement. Once the emotions subsided, during the post-victory press conference, he also mentioned another sporting legend — Lionel Messi.
The Argentine footballer, who is the same age as Djokovic, also showcased his class and competitive spirit at the World Cup in the USA, Canada, and Mexico, where he has already scored eight goals, making him the tournament's leading scorer. Furthermore, he led his country to a comeback victory against Egypt in the Round of 16, securing a 3-2 win.
Against this backdrop, Djokovic was asked about the footballer: "You're like Messi. At 39 years old. One scores goals, you win after 5 hours and 15 minutes." To this, the Belgrade-born tennis player responded: "It would be great to play 90 minutes like him," he quipped, while also expressing uncertainty about his recovery for the upcoming match against the world number one on Friday: "We'll see. I have an extra day, which is good."
This isn't the first time Novak Djokovic has spoken about Lionel Messi. In fact, the two share a good relationship, and at the Miami Open 2025, the Inter Miami forward watched one of Djokovic's matches before the two posed for a photo together. It's clear that sporting legends understand each other.
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