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Novak Djokovic jokingly told Lionel Messi to steer clear of tennis, saying he'd "end up dominating" that sport as well. The Serbian star is gearing up for the Australian Open next week, where he'll face Pedro Martinez in the opening round.

The 38-year-old has cemented his status as one of tennis' greatest ever players, winning 24 Grand Slam titles and Olympic gold over a remarkable 23-year career. Yet he's convinced that one sporting superstar would have been "dominating" him had he swapped football boots for tennis shoes.

The pair crossed paths in 2023, when Messi joined Inter Miami from Paris Saint-Germain. During their encounter, the Argentine icon sought Djokovic's guidance on improving his tennis game, but the Serbian wasn't having any of it. He said: "I met Messi at a restaurant in the United States.

"He asked me for advice about tennis. I told him: 'Please, Messi, don't ask me that. I won't give you any information. You dominate football, and now you want to dominate tennis. No, no, play football. When I retire, then you can play tennis.'

"He laughed and told me: 'I'm lucky that football is played with the feet and not with the hands.' But the truth is, I'm lucky Leo isn't a tennis player, otherwise I wouldn't win any titles. He's the best football player of all time. I love watching him."

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Messi's unbelievable football career has seen him win numerous league titles, European victories, and the ultimate prize with Argentina at the 2022 World Cup. While he might be tempted to try his hand at other sports, Djokovic insists that he will have to call it quits first.

Regarding retirement, former tennis coach Patrick Mouratoglou has reassured fans that Djokovic isn't planning on saying goodbye just yet. In a social media post, he said: "Don't worry about Novak. He's gonna be ready for the Australian Open.

"First of all, I understand the people who are getting worried about Novak's future, considering that he just withdrew from Adelaide, but I don't think they should.

"It's probably the last two years of Novak playing on tour. He's still seeded quite high, so he will have the time at the Australian Open to have his level raised."