In tennis, the closest thing to a chequered flag is when the chair umpire calls "Game, set and match". But two of tennis' biggest stars have picked up the literal flag this year.
After Rafael Nadal waved the chequered flag to signify the end of the F1 race in Miami, Novak Djokovic has now done the same. The Serbian star did so Sunday to greet race-winner Lewis Hamilton when he crossed the finish line in Barcelona.
Earlier in the day, Djokovic caught up with drivers including Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Borteleto. The racers showed Djokovic details of their steering wheels.
This was not the first time ATP No. 1 Club member Djokovic, who has spent a record 428 weeks at No. 1 in the PIF ATP Rankings, has spent time in a F1 paddock. Just last November, the 101-time tour-level titlist handed trophies to George Russell, Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris at the Qatar Grand Prix Sprint Race.
Djokovic has also interacted with F1 drivers at tennis events over the years, including recent meetings at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters with Carlos Sainz in 2024 and Russell in 2023.
The 39-year-old is next scheduled to compete at Wimbledon, where he is a seven-time champion and winner of 102 matches. Djokovic has lifted the trophy or reached the final in six of his past seven appearances in the grass-court major.
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