Lionel Messi watching Novak Djokovic reach Miami Open final made Serb feel ‘pressure’
The former world No 1 beats 14th-seed Grigor Dimitrov in the semi-final and will meet 19-year-old Jakub Mensik in Sunday’s showpiece
Novak Djokovic is used to being the star on the tennis court but having iconic footballer Lionel Messi in the stands to watch him reach the Miami Open final made him feel “a little pressure”.
The former world No 1 beat 14th seed Grigor Dimitrov 6-2, 6-3 in Friday’s semi-final and will meet 19-year-old Jakub Mensik in Sunday’s showpiece after the unseeded Czech shocked No 3 seed Taylor Fritz 7-6, 4-6, 7-6.
In his on-court interview, Djokovic said Messi, who plays for Major League Soccer’s local side, Inter Miami, visited the locker room with his wife and children and they “exchanged gifts”.
Djokovic added that he had seen Messi play live before but this was the first time the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner had watched him.
“Obviously, it’s a thrill to have his whole family,’’ Djokovic said. “It’s a huge honour.
“He’s such a great athlete, not just a football player. His impact on the world of sports in the last 20 years has been immense.