Legendary batter Sunil Gavaskar has compared swashbuckling India wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant with Wimbledon singles defending champion Carlos Alcaraz of Spain for making their respective sports exciting by producing unexpected performances.
While visiting the iconic All England Lawn Tennis Club, where the Wimbledon matches are being held, Gavaskar said Pant and Alcaraz were pretty similar.
“Alcaraz is moving around so well, and he's got all the shots in the book. He can be a bit of a showman sometimes, trying those drop shots when you think he should be finishing the point," Gavaskar said, talking to Star Sports.
"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,” he added.
With Wimbledon happening simultaneously with India's five-match Test series in England, a lot of former and current cricketers have been seen at the All England Lawn Tennis Club enjoying tennis.
Gavaskar said he visited the All England Lawn Tennis Club more often than the iconic cricket ground Lord's in London.
“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," he told Indian tennis legend Vijay Amritraj.
"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," he added.
Novak Djokovic took one step closer to record-levelling eighth-time Wimbledon glory as he battled past Flavio Cobolli to advance to a record 14th semifinal at the tournament on Wednesday.
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