Novak Djokovic shares an embrace with Lionel Messi at Ballon d'Or 2023 ceremony in Paris

Novak Djokovic met Lionel Messi while attending the Ballon d'Or in Paris.

The Serb is currently in the French capital to compete at the Paris Masters, where he will be aiming to win a record-extending seventh title. He has kept himself by attending quite a few sporting events in the city.

The 36-year-old attended the Rugby World Cup final between South Africa and New Zealand, and most recently, was present at the Ballon d'Or ceremony, where he met Lionel Messi, and the two shared an embrace. The Serb also hugged the Argentine's wife Antonella Rocuzzo.

Messi went on to win the coveted award for the eighth time in his career after helping Argentina win the World Cup in Qatar, where he won the Golden Ball for being the best player of the tournament.

During the ceremony, Djokovic presented the women's Ballon d'Or to Spain's Aitana Bonmati who helped her country win the World Cup earlier this year.

The Serb is an avid soccer fan and is a supporter of Italian heavyweights AC Milan. Last year, he attended the World Cup final in Qatar, where Argentina beat France to win their third title.

---

Novak Djokovic will face either Tomas Martin Etcheverry or Miomir Kecmanovic in the second round of the Paris Masters

The Serb at the Ryder Cup

After helping the Serbian team qualify for the Davis Cup quarterfinals, Novak Djokovic will compete at the Paris Masters as the top seed. The 24-time Grand Slam champion received a bye to the second round of the tournament by virtue of being one of the top eight seeds.

Here, he will take on either compatriot Miomir Kecmanovic or Tomas Martin Etcheverry. The 36-year-old leads 3-0 in the head-to-head against Kecmanovic and last faced him in the third round of last year's Wimbledon, winning 6-0, 6-3, 6-4. Djokovic has faced Etcheverry just once previously, in the second round of the Italian Open, winning 7-6(5), 6-2.

The Serb will take on either Alejandro Davidovich Fokina or Tallon Griekspoor in the third round if he comes out on top.

Djokovic has enjoyed an impressive 2023 season so far, winning 46 out of 51 matches with five titles to his name. The Serb won the Australian Open, French Open, and the US Open, thus taking his Grand Slam tally to 24, which is the most by any player, male or female, in the Open Era. He also won the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati and the Adelaide International 1.