Now, Messi and Djokovic do have a lot in common. Both came from impoverished backgrounds and became the greatest ever to play their respective sports. Both were even born in the same year, just 33 days apart. Both chased dreams that seemed unattainable, with families who bet their futures on their children’s success. Both had similarly close paternal relationships and left home early to train. In their early days, both even faced similar physical limitations. Messi needed growth hormones; Djokovic switched his diet and conditioning to produce extraordinary endurance hitherto unseen in tennis.
