Tennis players have had a penchant for visiting F1 races in recent years, a trend that saw Novak Djokovic visit the F1 paddock during the Barcelona Grand Prix. However, the 24-time Major champion encountered a minor snag while entering the arena, prompting him to ask for help from one of his team members.

The Serb had forgotten to carry his entry pass on his way to the Grand Prix. Security at an F1 race is paramount, and there is a strict policy that does not allow unauthorized individuals in; even drivers need to have the passes at entry. For Djokovic, it was a brief delay as one of his team members gave up their own pass to the Serb, who then entered the race.

After entry, the GOAT visited the Audi garage, which had extended him a courteous invitation. After the team showed Djokovic through the garage and the car, he shook hands with all the team members and conversed with the two drivers, Gabriel Bortoleto and Nico Hulkenberg. Djokovic looked at the customized steering wheel in his hands with keen interest, a sign that the Serb is a genuine lover of the sport. This is not the first time he has visited the F1 paddock; his last visit was at the 2024 Qatar Grand Prix. During that time, the Serb also served as an ambassador for Qatar Airways, standing on the podium after the Sprint race.

A reason for the fashionable tennis-F1 crossover is that Monte Carlo is home to tennis players and F1 drivers. F1 drivers regularly attend the Monte-Carlo Masters. George Russell and Charles Leclerc, for instance, attended the Monte-Carlo final between Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz. Russell also often attends the Royal Box at Wimbledon. Similarly, the Monte-Carlo Grand Prix attracts tennis stars, as Djokovic and Jannik Sinner often visit the F1 paddocks.

One can only assume that Djokovic is taking a brief break before he gears up for Wimbledon, which begins on June 29.

Wimbledon might be the best chance for No.25 for Djokovic

With Carlos Alcaraz not in the equation and grass-court specialists being rare these days, the 2026 Wimbledon Championships might be one of the biggest chances for Djokovic to clinch the 25th Major title. The Serb had a tough outing on clay at the French Open, losing after a brutal match against Joao Fonseca that lasted almost five hours.

However, the nature of play on grass differs from that on clay: points are played quickly there, and an accurate serve is extremely handy. And if the first week of the grass-court season has shown us anything, it is that moving on the surface can be tricky. These come in handy for Djokovic, as the Serb is one of the most sure-footed players on grass ever, even being one of the first to actually slide on a grass court, something only possible on clay courts.

With the grass-court season spanning only three weeks, few players have the experience of playing on the surface, something that Djokovic has, having won seven titles from ten finals at the All England Lawn Tennis Club. Obviously, the biggest threat to the Serb will be World No.1 Jannik Sinner, who is also the defending champion. However, the Italian is struggling with physical issues, as seen during his shock loss at the French Open, and Djokovic proved he can still go toe-to-toe with him with his five-set win at the Australian Open.

It is not all cut and dried, as the Serb has played few matches this year and does not have enough preparation time under his belt. But should the Serb’s serve hold up in the early few rounds and he can maintain his fitness across the fortnight, a 25th crown might not be a delusion in the current circumstances.