London, July 10 (IANS) Legendary Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar, who is celebrating his 76th birthday on Thursday, drew a similarity between tennis star Carlos Alcaraz and swashbuckling batter Rishab Pant, saying that both are showmen and unexpected in their respective games.

In the ongoing grass court major, Alcaraz outclassed Cameron Norrie to progress to the semis where he will face American Taylor Fritz on Friday. On the other hand, Pant has been on song in the ongoing Test series against England. He became the first Indian wicketkeeper-batter to score a century in both innings of a Test in England.

Speaking about his regular visits to Wimbledon and favourite tennis players, Gavaskar said on Star Sports, “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. 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.”

“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. 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,” Gavaskar added.

Beyond the gripping action on the grass courts of the All England Lawn Tennis Club, Wimbledon 2025 has already seen some of the globally most reputable names across sports and entertainment occupy the Royal Box. Besides Virat Kohli, Anushka Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, and Deepak Chahar, Gavaskar and Pant were also spotted at the tennis this week.

Speaking about what drew him to Wimbledon, Pant said, “A lot of things. The first thing that comes to mind is excitement. You want to experience something as a fan as well, because we are always playing cricket. But here, you get to watch someone who can inspire you. That inspiration comes from athletes, the kind who play tennis. It’s amazing. And I finally get to dress well! We are usually in shorts and t-shirts, so wearing a suit feels good sometimes.”

On his all-time favourite tennis player, Pant added, “It has to be Roger Federer. His backhand, I would watch it again and again. That was something that really brought me to the court. From the current players in this year’s Wimbledon, I really like the new generation. Alcaraz is amazing, the kind of fight he showed in the French Open was incredible. Even when you are in a tough spot, he showed you can still fight back, and he actually won! That was so inspiring. I also like Jannik Sinner. These two are the ones I’m really looking forward to watching.”

Reflecting on what cricket and tennis have in common at the highest level, Pant explained, “One thing I would take is mindset. You can play any sport, but if your mindset isn’t right, you can’t make it to the top. That’s the difference between a good player and an excellent one. It sets you apart.”

–IANS

ab/bc