Over the years, there have been many sports personalities making their appearances at Wimbledon, but recently, Team India`s T20I skipper Suryakumar Yadav made his appearance at the Centre Court.
The cricketer was accompanied by his wife at the All England Club in London.
When asked about what made him come to Wimbledon, the right-hander said he had always heard about the atmosphere at the Centre Court, following which he came to experience it.
“I watch tennis quite a bit on television. I’ve always heard about the atmosphere around Centre Court, especially the moment you walk in. I am here to experience that surreal feeling in person,” said Suryakumar.
The cricketer who has played 83 T20I matches picked former Team India skipper MS Dhoni as the cricket player with whom he would pick as a doubles partner in tennis.
“Definitely, MS Dhoni. He has got speed, a lot of endurance, he is mentally very tough, and recently, whenever he is not playing cricket, I have seen him playing a lot of tennis. So, yes, without a doubt, it would be MS Dhoni,” said Suryakumar.
The Mumbai-born cricketer appeared in a white suit, giving a rich vibe with a purple shirt and tie. Speaking about his attire, the right-hander credited his wife for choosing the right suit for the event.
“This is my first time here, and I wanted to get everything right. Honestly, my wife really takes care of me. She has been behind me for the last three or four days, helping me decide what to wear to this wonderful tournament. So many people have turned out in numbers, I am one of them, just here to experience the same thing they are,” he said.
Yadav added that he had come to witness Novak Djokovic play and also revealed that his book, `Serve to Win`, inspired him.
“I have definitely come to watch Novak Djokovic. I have been following his career for a very long time. I even read his book ‘Serve to Win’, which really inspired me. I made my international cricket debut a little later in life, though not quite as late as 30, but I could really relate to his journey and perseverance. The way he keeps going is phenomenal,” said the 34-year-old.
Suryakumar did take names of greats but was clear about his favourite tennis player.
“If we are talking about Wimbledon specifically, then definitely Pete Sampras and Roger Federer. I remember how the crowd would go crazy when either of them turned up here. But my all-time favourite is obviously Novak Djokovic. And currently, I would say Carlos Alcaraz, he has been a wildfire on the court,” he concluded.
