(Video) Lionel Messi spotted in the Miami Open attendance to watch Novak Djokovic and Grigor Dimitrov

Lionel Messi has had a lot of interactions with many famous tennis players recently, including Novak Djokovic.

(Video) Lionel Messi spotted in the Miami Open attendance to watch Novak Djokovic and Grigor Dimitrov

Novak Djokovic and Lionel Messi (via X)

A special guest, Lionel Messi, was in the stands at the Miami Open center court to watch Novak Djokovic play against Grigor Dimitrov. The Argentine star, who has had many conversations with tennis players, enjoyed his friend’s performance as Djokovic reached the final.

Messi was accompanied by his wife, Antonela Roccuzzo, in the stands. The former Barcelona player currently plays for Inter Miami, his second club since leaving the Catalans in 2021.

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Messi was not the only celebrity in attendance, as Venus Williams also shared the spotlight. The American great was seen training with Ons Jabeur before the tournament, despite not being in the draw. However, she attended to support her friend Dimitrov.

Djokovic has great respect for Messi and has previously attended Inter Miami games. Meanwhile, Messi has shown his love for tennis before, paying tribute to Roger Federer on Instagram when he retired in 2022.

Novak Djokovic reaches Miami final

Novak Djokovic is now just one win away from his 100th career title and a record-seventh Miami Open trophy. He defeated Grigor Dimitrov 6-2, 6-3 on Friday to reach the final.

Novak Djokovic (4)
Novak Djokovic (Image via Novak Djokovic’s X account)

This was the oldest semi-final in ATP Masters 1000 history. Despite windy conditions, the 37-year-old served impressively. He landed 87% of his first serves and won 79% of those points.

Djokovic played with great accuracy, making only two unforced errors in the first set. He stayed consistent throughout the 70-minute match and secured victory on his second match point. This win marks Djokovic’s 11th straight victory over Dimitrov, extending his record to 13-1 against the Bulgarian. Dimitrov, who played a tough quarter-final earlier, struggled to match Djokovic’s level.

Novak Djokovic gets major ranking boost

With Carlos Alcaraz and Jack Draper already out of the Miami Open, Novak Djokovic might see this as a chance to win his 100th career title. His strong performance in Miami has also helped improve his ATP ranking. This could be important as he prepares for the French Open.

Novak Djokovic (8)
Novak Djokovic (Image via X/Wolfy)

Djokovic has said that ranking points are not his main focus anymore. However, being in the top four before the French Open and Wimbledon would be an advantage. He is aiming for his 25th Grand Slam title, one of the last big goals of his career.

If Djokovic reaches the top four, he can avoid early matches against top players like Jannik Sinner, Alexander Zverev, and Alcaraz at Roland Garros. Right now, he is still behind world No. 4 Taylor Fritz, but he is closing the gap.

Djokovic is expected to play fewer tournaments during the European clay season. This makes his Miami Open wins even more valuable. If he can win his seventh title in Miami, he will be very close to breaking back into the top four.