"What Novak Djokovic has achieved is amazing, coming from nowhere" - Erling Haaland
Manchester City striker Erling Haaland has picked Novak Djokovic as his favourite athlete from another sport.
Djokovic, 36, is a tennis legend. Despite being on the wrong side of 30, the World No. 1 is still going strong, having broken a plethora of records in the sport.
The Serb has won a record 24 Grand Slam singles, 40 Masters 1000s and seven ATP Finals titles. He's the only tennis player - male or female - to spend over 400 weeks at No. 1 and is the only male player to win a triple career Grand Slam.
Meanwhile, Erling Haaland is one of the most lethal strikers in football. The 23-year-old played a key role in Manchester City's continental treble triumph last season, amassing 52 goals in 53 games across competitions in his first season in English football.
In a tweet posted by Novak India fans, the Norwegian picked Djokovic as his favourite sporting hero from another sport. Haaland said:
"I like Djokovic. I think he's good. He's being himself and yeah, what he's achieved is also amazing, coming from nowhere and from his country. So, yeah, I'll take Djokovic."
Novak Djokovic comes from Serbia, a country not traditionally known as a tennis powerhouse before his emergence. Having grown up during the Yugoslavia wars, the Serb has carved a niche for himself, with his tennis accomplishments and mental fortitude being second to none.
What's next for Erling Haaland and Novak Djokovic?
Erling Haaland has had an injury-plagued campaign but has still registered 19 goals and five assists in 24 games across competitions as City eye consecutive continental trebles.
Meanwhile, Novak Djokovic is set to return to action at Indian Wells next month. The Serb last appeared at the Masters 1000 event in 2019 but has not played the last three editions due to his COVID-19 vaccination status.
Djokovic, a five-time champion at Indian Wells, is off to a 7-2 start this year, having lost one of his three matches at the United Cup Down Under last month. Two weeks later, he lost for the first time in an Australian Open semifinal, having won the previous 10 matches.
The Serb lost in four sets to eventual champion Jannik Sinner, who went on to beat Daniil Medvedev in five sets in the title clash. The loss marked Novak Djokovic's first at the Australian Open since losing to Hyeon Chung in the fourth round in 2018. Since then, he won four straight titles (didn't play in 2022) before losing to the Italian.