As stars continue teeming into the Wimbledon Royal Box, India T20 Captain Suryakumar Yadav was the latest Indian cricketer to stop by. He spoke to Star Sports and JioHotstar about his love for tennis, his sporting icons, and the unexpected cricket–tennis crossover in his life.On what brought him to Wimbledon for the first time:“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.”On watching tennis at Wimbledon for the first time and inspiration behind his suit:“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.”On the stars he was eagerly awaiting to watch:“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.”On his favourite tennis players, past and present:“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.”On the parallels between tennis and cricket:“I feel there are a lot of similarities between cricket and elite tennis. Mental toughness plays a crucial role in both. There is also a lot of endurance involved. In cricket, we keep running the same 20-25 metres repeatedly, and it is similar in tennis as well. So, I would say strong mental resolve and endurance are the two big common factors.”On which cricketer he would pick as a doubles partner:“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.”Catch all the action of Wimbledon 2025 (Men’s & Women’s – Singles and Doubles) Semi-Finals, live and exclusive on JioHotstar and Star Sports Network
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