Sunil Gavaskar, the legendary cricketer with a well-known passion for tennis, drew an engaging comparison between India’s flamboyant wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant and Spain’s tennis prodigy Carlos Alcaraz during his recent visit to Wimbledon.
Speaking on Star Sports and JioCinema, Gavaskar praised Alcaraz`s dynamic game, likening it to Pant’s audacious style on the cricket field. “Alcaraz is moving around so well, and he`s got all the shots in the book,” Gavaskar said. “He can be a bit of a showman sometimes, trying those drop shots when you think he should be finishing the point. But that`s what people come to watch, it`s like watching Rishabh Pant. With Pant, you have to expect the unexpected. Similarly, with Alcaraz, you have got to expect the unexpected. That`s what makes him so exciting.”
Wimbledon clearly holds a special place in the heart of the former India captain. He confessed that when he’s in England during the tournament, he ensures a visit to the All England Club. “Every time I am in England around this time, I go to Wimbledon, but I hardly go to Lord`s if India isn`t playing there. So yes, one could say that I come here more often than I go to Lord`s if India isn`t playing there,” he remarked. “So yes, one could say that I come here more often than I go to Lord`s.”
As the tournament moves towards its climax, Gavaskar weighed in on the potential champions. “I would like Djokovic to win because it would be his 25th Grand Slam title. Nobody has ever won 25 majors, so that would be fantastic. My heart says Djokovic, but I guess my mind says Alcaraz.”
“Also, Alcaraz, simply because I think Sinner is injured. Whether he`s going to be 100% for the remainder of the tournament, we don`t know.”
Meanwhile, Novak Djokovic continues his pursuit of history. The Serbian star advanced to a record 14th Wimbledon semifinal after surviving an early scare against Flavio Cobolli. After dropping the first set in a tense tiebreak, Djokovic rallied to win 6-7(6), 6-2, 7-5, 6-4 in a gritty contest that lasted over three hours.
Despite a minor slip on the baseline that caused some concern, Djokovic recovered quickly and displayed his trademark resilience. The win marked his 102nd Wimbledon victory and brought his 2025 season record to 26-8. He is now just two matches away from a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title and a chance to equal Roger Federer’s tally of eight Wimbledon crowns.
Next up for Djokovic is world number one Jannik Sinner, who comfortably defeated Ben Shelton in straight sets. Though Sinner leads their head-to-head 5-4, Djokovic has triumphed in their last two Wimbledon encounters.
(With ANI inputs)
