Daily Dose of Social Media: Lionel Messi attends Miami Open to watch Novak Djokovic, Leylah Fernandez share a laugh in karaoke fun'

In a new Daily Dose of Social Media, Lionel Messi stole the spotlight during the match between Novak Djokovic and Grigor Dimitrov. This Miami Open session had a luxury crowd, including Venus Williams and Juan Martin Del Potro. Also grabbing attention was Andy Murray with his unique reactions as he watched his pupil's match.

On the other hand, Leylah Fernandez had fun in a karaoke session with her sister after her time in Miami, while Elina Svitolina and Hubert Hurkacz teamed up to play with some rising stars during the Miami tournament.

Lionel Messi makes rare appearance at Miami Open

To see Novak Djokovic (No. 5) in the semifinals of the Miami Open, none other than Argentine footballer Lionel Andrés Messi made an appearance this Friday. Along with his wife, Antonella Roccuzzo, they were present at his semifinal match against Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov (No. 15). The appearance of the World Cup champion with his country's national team in Qatar 2022 is quite surprising, as he rarely attends tennis tournaments.

Also present once again was 2009 US Open champion Juan Martín Del Potro, who had previously been in Djokovic’s box during his fourth-round match against Lorenzo Musetti, alongside none other than Serena Williams.

Djokovic advanced to his first final since the Shanghai Masters and will be aiming for his 100th title on Sunday – his 41st in Masters 1000 tournaments. He will face the winner of the match between Taylor Fritz and Jakub Mensik.

Venus Williams support her friend Grigor Dimitrov

Another notable presence at the Miami Open was former world No. 1 Venus Williams, who watched closely as her close friend Grigor Dimitrov played. The Bulgarian has been friends with both Venus and her sister Serena Williams for years, and they have expressed admiration for each other. Taking advantage of the ongoing Miami Open, a tournament Venus won in 1998, 1999, and 2001 – in her hometown – Williams was among the crowd during the semifinals, a day marked by legendary figures in the stands watching Djokovic face Dimitrov.

The 24-time Grand Slam champion secured an impressive win 6-2, 6-3, continuing to not drop a set in the tournament. She also increased her head-to-head record to 13-1 against the current world No. 15.

The 7-time Grand Slam champion also shared a video where she showed her usual joy off the court, and while training, she shared moments of dancing with her fans. Venus is still an active player, despite not competing in any tournaments for a year. The world No. 1 has commented several times that she is not thinking about retirement yet, although she has not given any indications of when she will return to an official tournament.

Morgan Riddle offers sneak peek into Miami Open

Morgan Riddle – Taylor Fritz’s girlfriend – shared a behind-the-scenes look at her boyfriend’s match against Matteo Berrettini in the Miami Open quarterfinals. The world No. 4 has been traveling with Riddle for a couple of years now, who has become a distinguished influencer, both in the fashion world and by offering a different perspective on tennis, showcasing behind-the-scenes moments while traveling on the Tour. Riddle shared details of her boyfriend’s progression to the semifinals.

Fritz put on a great performance to overcome the Italian's resistance, winning 7-5, 6-7[7-9], 7-5. The American is the last local player remaining in the competition and will face 19-year-old Czech player Jakub Mensik on Friday night in pursuit of a place in the final.

Hurkacz and Svitolina inspire young talents

Hubert Hurkacz and Elina Svitolina teamed up for a promotional campaign, where they gave advice to a group of young children just starting their tennis journey. Both players, stars in their respective Tours, played with 10 rising stars, offering advice and sharing fun moments.

“Serving up inspiration in Miami 🎾⁠ From on-court drills to off-court advice, 10 rising stars joined @elisvitolina & @hubihurkacz for an unforgettable waterdrop® tennis clinic filled with fun, forehands, and of course, hydration. 💧⁠ Future champions, you crushed it! 💪”

Check out the heartwarming video of Hurkacz and Svitolina with the children at the Miami Open, after their respective training sessions.

Murray's reactions star in Djokovic match

Andy Murray was featured in a Tennis TV video on social media, where they closely followed the reactions of the 3-time Grand Slam champion during Novak Djokovic’s match. The British former world No. 1 has been coaching Djokovic since early 2025, in one of the most unique player-coach partnerships seen, between two great rivals, just months after Murray’s retirement.

The Brit was known throughout his career for his fighting spirit and spontaneity in showing his emotions on the court. While training Djokovic, he has been seen with a more reserved and calm demeanor from Nole’s box, yet Murray’s spirit still shines through when the cameras focus on him. This Sunday, Djokovic will aim for his first title with Murray as his coach, which could be the 100th trophy of his career.

Fernandez Shares hilarious karaoke session with her sister

Leylah Fernandez once again showed her great sense of humor when she shared a funny video doing karaoke with her sister, fellow tennis player Bianca Fernandez. The former US Open runner-up had fun with her 21-year-old younger sister, showcasing significant differences in their singing abilities, something the former world No. 13 joked about: “I definitely inherited the singing genes in the family 🎤🤣” she posted on Instagram.

Fernandez recently competed in the Miami Open, where she reached the third round after defeating Alycia Parks in her debut (7-6, 6-3), but was eliminated early by an inspired Ashlyn Krueger, who won 6-1, 7-5. The Canadian is now preparing for the clay-court swing, with her first tournament being the WTA 1000 Madrid Open in three weeks.

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