Indian cricketer Sanju Samson has likened Chennai Super Kings legend MS Dhoni to tennis icon Roger Federer and compared another former India captain, Virat Kohli, to the racquet sport’s sensation, Carlos Alcaraz. His comparison songs came ahead of Wimbledon 2026, which kicks off on June 29.ย
“The Roger Federer of cricket? It has to be MS Dhoni. He is very calm and composed in the way he goes about his business. When he performs, it looks effortless yet very powerful,” Samson told JioStar. “Carlos Alcaraz, on the other hand, is very explosive, much like how Virat bhai started. Maybe Virat Kohli can be compared to Alcaraz. He is very aggressive and full of power and explosiveness.”
Wimbledon is set to pit some of the best players up against each other as Jannik Sinner hopes to defend his title after bottling up a chance to win his maiden French Open title in a field without the injured Carlos Alcaraz. Meanwhile, SW19 defending champion Iga Swiatek will also be hoping for a better show after the new queen of clay suffered a shocking fourth defeat at the Roland Garros.
Rohan Bopanna predicts winners at All England Club
Meanwhile, Indian tennis great Rohan Boppana predicted Sinner to retain his title and named 2022 champion Elena Rybakina to clinch the SW19 again at the All England Club. “It’s such a tough question; the field is so open. But I have to go with defending champion Jannik Sinner for the men’s tournament. Among women, I would pick Elena Rybakina,” he said in the same show.ย
He highlighted that Wimbledon is the tournament he watched growing up. “Wimbledon is a magical dream because I grew up watching only that. Back home, we only used to watch Wimbledon. In fact, television only broadcasts Wimbledon. So, for me to go there and not only be present but also play on those courts was absolutely amazing.ย
“I also played in an era when the three greatest tennis players of our generation, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, were competing. Sharing locker rooms with them and simply being there was better than a dream, actually.”
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