Wimbledon Pressure? India-Pakistan Pressure? Virat Kohli Points Out 'Intimidating' Factor

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Indian cricket icon Virat Kohli, known for his poise under pressure in high-stakes matches, made an intriguing observation during his recent visit to Wimbledon 2025.

Kohli, who watched Novak Djokovic take on Australia's Alex de Minaur in the Men's Round of 16, admitted that tennis players might face more direct pressure than cricketers, especially when playing at the iconic Centre Court.

In a candid conversation with Star Sports' Vijay Amritraj- Indian tennis legend, Kohli explained how the proximity of the crowd and the nature of tennis makes it more intense.

"It's a lot of pressure because there are so many people in the stadium," Kohli remarked. "But I'd say that it's not as intimidating as the Centre Court because of the distance people are sitting from you. When we are batting on the pitch, the fans are too far away, so you can get lost in your space and do your own thing. You don't hear comments, the cheers or the boos straight in your ears... But here, everything's on the line and can change with a point in tennis."

Kohli, who recently retired from T20Is after earning Player of the Match in the 2024 World Cup final and later ended his Test career in May, added:
"The pressure these guys must be feeling... playing on the Centre Court must be tremendous. I have lot of respect for tennis players for that reason - maintaining composure, fitness, and mental strength, it's truly remarkable."

According to Kohli, cricket only reaches such high-pressure levels during marquee games. "The experience can be similar but the intimidation factor... could only be replicated for us in very peak kind of World Cup games, like an India-Pakistan World Cup game or the semi-final or a final where your legs are shivering because of sheer pressure," he said. "These guys must be facing that from the quarter-final onwards till the final, which I think is a lot of pressure onwards."

This appearance marked Kohli's first public outing since the tragic RCB victory parade incident in Bengaluru. Though he's now focused solely on ODIs, his admiration for elite athletes in other sports remains as passionate as ever.