Novak Djokovic makes a fun and unique bet with Rory McIlroy during his Wimbledon speech
Rory McIlroy was watching Novak Djokovic’s second-round win over his longtime rival Stefanos Tsitsipas when something fun happened during Djokovic’s speech after the match.
The 39-year-old Serbian star easily beat Tsitsipas in straight sets on Centre Court and will now play Arthur Rinderknech in the next round as he chases his eighth Wimbledon title.
McIlroy was sitting in the Royal Box, ready to enjoy some exciting tennis, but he probably didn’t expect what came next. After thanking the crowd, Djokovic suddenly turned to speak directly to Rory.
He said, “I feel great. I’ve said this many times before, but I never take this moment for granted—playing on Centre Court at my dream tournament. I feel lucky to be here at 30-plus years old. Age is just a number, and some people who know about that are right here in the Royal Box. Rory, Justin [Thomas], Luke [McDonald], great to see you guys. Congrats to Team Europe on the Ryder Cup—I watched you all.”
As a proud European, Djokovic was happy about Team Europe’s win over the USA at Farmingdale, where Luke McDonald helped lead the team to keep the trophy. McIlroy was also a key part of that success last September, along with Shane Lowry, helping Europe win 15-13.
Recently, McIlroy has also enjoyed big wins, completing golf’s Grand Slam by winning the Masters in 2025 and 2026. The famous green Masters jacket caught Djokovic’s eye, and he came up with a fun bet during his speech.
He said, “Rory, what a cool jacket! Is that a Masters jacket? It must be. Let’s give Rory a round of applause for that! I want that jacket. I’ll play you—tennis, not golf—for that jacket! Thanks to everyone for coming early and staying all day. It really means a lot to see you here.”