Novak Djokovic makes honest admission about having Serena Williams courtside during his Miami Open match

Novak Djokovic was overjoyed to witness Serena Williams' presence during his Round of 16 match against Lorenzo Musetti at the Miami Open. The 24-time Grand Slam Champion sailed past the Italian 6-2, 6-2 and advanced to the quarterfinals of the tournament. His cheering squad included tennis star Juan Martin del Potro and Olympic gold medallist Judo champion Kayla Harrison.

Williams had earlier attended Djokovic's gold medal match at the 2024 Paris Olympics against Carlos Alcaraz, where he too treated her with a stellar win against the young gun and claimed the first Olympic gold medal of his career. The Serb dished out a dominating performance, indicating a promising recovery from his injury.

In an interview with Sky Sports after the match, he expressed his gratitude towards the star for being present during his match. He especially admitted being nervous as Williams was on the sidelines but braced himself for the impressive display.

"To have Serena obviously courtside, I think it was probably the first time, maybe the first time or second time, that she watched me live. So obviously, I was a bit nervous," Djokovic joked.

He also thanked his contemporary, Juan Martin del Potro, for his support during the match.

"Del Potro as well, a long-time friend and rival, was in the box. So yeah, I had to deliver, I had to perform in front of them. I think I've done well," Novak Djokovic added. (0:55 onwards)

He also admitted to asking for feedback from Williams during one of his points in the match.

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Novak Djokovic sought input from Serena Williams during his match

Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams after winning the Wimbledon 2015 - Source: Getty

Novak Djokovic admitted to seeking feedback from tennis legend Serena Williams during his match against Lorenzo Musetti. In his post-match interview, he said that the American mildly approved his down-the-line passing shot to win a point during his second set. He joked that this nod of approval from Williams was enough to convince him that it would be "amazing" for everyone else.

"Actually, when I had that down-the-line passing shot, I pointed to her and asked her whether it was okay. She kind of said, 'Yeah, it was fine'. If Serena says it was fine, then it was amazing by everyone else's standards. So yeah, great to have them," he said.

The Serb will be taking on 24-year-old Sebastian Korda in the quarterfinals of the tournament on Wednesday.