2023 Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald was full of admiration for tennis' 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic. The Serbian is currently in his off-season after an eventful 2024 campaign where he achieved the Olympic championship for the first time in his career. Since his last match at the Shanghai Masters final in October, the 37-year-old has been spotted in Qatar enjoying the F1 Grand at the end of November. Djokovic has a passion for various sports apart from tennis, including golf, and he further indulged in his love for the sport at the Ryder Cup a year ago.

Luke Donald's High Praise for Novak Djokovic at the Ryder Cup

What Did Luke Donald Say About Novak Djokovic?

During the 2023 Ryder Cup at the Marco Simone Golf and Country Club in Italy, Luke Donald, the captain of Team Europe, had the opportunity to interact with Novak Djokovic before the event. Djokovic participated in that year's Ryder Cup All-Star Game and played a crucial role in Team Monty's victory over Team Pavin with a sensational drive on the par-four 16th.Donald, 46, appeared on the No Laying Up – Golf Podcast and shared his thoughts about the reigning Olympic tennis champion. "It's funny. He doesn't always receive the best coverage from the media. Roger and Rafa were the fan favorites," Donald said. "But when you meet Novak, you realize he is the kindest, most caring, and down-to-earth person. I think he has faced a lot of opposition for various reasons. However, he knows how to turn that around and use it in a positive way."

Novak Djokovic's Pep Talk and Surprise at the Ryder Cup

Before Team Europe regained the Ryder Cup from Team USA, Djokovic provided some words of encouragement to Donald's team. The two formed a plan where Djokovic would surprise the team by dressing up as a waiter and giving them a motivational speech.Describing the process of getting ready for the surprise, Djokovic revealed that it took almost an hour to completely transform his appearance for that special moment. "It was a great honor and a beautiful experience. I had never done anything like that before, which is why I agreed. It was truly incredible," he said in December 2023."Luke wanted it to be a surprise. Although it was somewhat known a few days in advance, the journalists asked me about it, and I told them I had just come to play. It was Rory McIlroy who first noticed me. He said, 'Can I have a glass too?' I then retraced my steps, picked up the racket I had brought, and started hitting volleys against the wall. Everyone applauded, and it was a great surprise!"