Miami Open: Lionel Messi Admiration Runs Deep in WTA Veterans as Czech Pro Takes a Leaf Out of Victoria Azarenka’s Book

Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo? Well, the ‘GOAT’ debate in the soccer world has been raging on for several years. It’s quite similar to that of the battle of the ‘Big Three’ in the tennis world. Lionel Messi is undoubtedly one of the most beloved athletes of all time and he’s quite a popular figure in the tennis world as well. Several tennis stars have also been inspired by his journey to win the World Cup in 2022 and they love watching him do his magic in the field. Victoria Azarenka is one of them, but there is a new addition to the list.

Her name is Karolina Pliskova. The Czech tennis star was recently spotted donning an Inter Miami CF jersey with Messi’s name written on its back. Pliskova is also a big soccer fan and has been spotted several times attending the UEFA Champions League (UCL) matches in the past.

After Victoria Azarenka, it’s time for Karolina Pliskova to portray her admiration for the soccer superstar, Lionel Messi

Five years ago, Karolina Pliskova attended a Barcelona match in the UCL with her partner, Michal Hrdlicka. Here’s what she wrote at the time on Twitter, “About last night. My first big soccer match ever. Messi, just incredible… Another level!” This time she was spotted in ‘The Magic City’ with the Inter Miami jersey, having the name of the ‘Magician’ of the soccer world on her back. 

Even last year, Karolina Pliskova’s love for soccer was yet again displayed as she was seen enjoying a UCL match between Atletico Madrid and Feyenoord in Madrid. She was in fact cheering for David Hancko, who plays for Feyenoord. Hancko is also the husband of her identical twin Kristyna Pliskova. The Slovak soccer star had even scored in that match. 

But talking about the craze for Lionel Messi among the tennis players, how can we not name Victoria Azarenka? She is a huge Lionel Messi fan and was also spotted rooting for Argentina during the FIFA World Cup 2022. Azarenka stood behind Lionel Messi when he decided to leave Barcelona and said “Sometimes it’s a player’s choice to do what is best for them and their career.“

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She even witnessed Lionel Messi’s debut for Inter Miami and took a selfie with the Argentine in the background. She posted that picture on social media and wrote, “Anywhere closer than that I would probably/most likely cry.” However, they aren’t the only ones to heap praise on Lionel Messi’s astonishing achievement throughout his career. Here are some of the biggest tennis stars reflecting their admiration for Messi.

‘He dribbles like a magician’ -Roger Federer on Messi

The Swiss Maestro, Roger Federer penned a tribute to the Argentine superstar last year on his inclusion in the Time 100 category. He wrote, “Lionel Messi’s goal-scoring records and championship wins need no recounting here.” He heaped praise on his consistency over the years and added, “He dribbles like a magician, and his angular passes are works of art. His awareness and anticipation are almost beyond comprehension.” Federer also revealed that he doesn’t blink too often when Messi performs on the pitch.

Rafael Nadal also wrote a heartfelt message to Messi after Argentina won the FIFA World Cup in 2022. He said, “When Messi scored the third goal, tears came to my eyes. It was because of the emotion of seeing someone so great achieve what was missing. Having suffered so much to achieve it.” Even Novak Djokovic saidtthat he was really fortunate to be present in the stadium while Lionel Mess lifted the World Cup two years ago.

Andy Murray said, “Messi is the man” after seeing his stellar performance in Qatar. Do you know any other superstars from the tennis world who are big fans of Lionel Messi? Let us know in the comments section below! 

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