Novak Djokovic was part of a stellar lineup at a padel exhibition match in Doha, Qatar, on the eve of the Formula 1 Grand Prix. The Serbian tennis legend shared his thoughts on the growing sport and reflected on his admiration for one of motorsport's greatest icons.

A Tribute to Michael Schumacher

In an interview with beIN SPORTS, Djokovic discussed his connection to Formula 1, expressing his admiration for Michael Schumacher:

"I’ve been a fan of Michael Schumacher when he was dominating, and also of Lewis Hamilton. I’m friends with George Russell and follow many of the guys like Carlos Sainz and Pierre Gasly; we follow each other."

His First Grand Prix Experience

Despite living in Monaco, Djokovic admitted he had never attended a Grand Prix live:

"It may sound strange, but I’ve never watched Formula 1 in person. I live in Monaco, but I always leave when the race happens—it’s very noisy. Also, I’m always in Paris for Roland Garros at that time. I tried once, but it was so loud that I had to leave, and it’s hard to watch."

However, the Qatar event marked his first opportunity to experience F1 in person:

"I’m very interested in F1. This will be my first time watching it, so I hope to get the chance to be in a garage and see how they prepare. It’s a unique experience to see what happens behind the curtain. As an athlete, that’s what I appreciate: how they mentally prepare for the race because they risk their lives every time they get in the car. That intrigues me."

Reflections on Tennis and Future Goals

Djokovic also reflected on his performance in 2024, highlighting his Olympic gold medal in Paris as the year’s most significant achievement:

"You know, 2024, from an achievement standpoint, was all about the Olympic gold medal in Paris. That was the main goal from the beginning of the year. I didn’t have such a great season compared to some previous years in terms of Grand Slam success or other tournaments. I had issues with injuries and underwent knee surgery after Roland Garros, but I managed to recover, reach the Wimbledon final, and win the Olympics. That was probably the best part of the year."

Looking ahead to 2025, the Serbian is optimistic and motivated:

"I’m excited again to step onto the court, motivated, and I’m doing my best to prepare in the best possible way. I have more time than usual; we usually have very short off-seasons, but this time I ended my season quite early, which allowed me to rest and recover. Now I’m in the training process, and padel keeps me active."

On his ability to compete against the new generation of tennis players, Djokovic added:

"I’m looking forward to competing. I feel like I can still compete strongly against the young guys. Obviously, Sinner and Alcaraz are leading the way, but I feel like, when I’m prepared and at my best, I can challenge them. I’m excited to see how far I can go next year. It should be exciting. As always, the Grand Slams and major tournaments are the priority, and we’ll see how everything unfolds."