Former India cricket captain and one of the sponsors of US Open 2025, MS Dhoni, surprised everyone by appearing at the tournament. The cricketing great was caught courtside in the Arthur Ashe stadium at the men singles quarterfinal between Novak Djokovic and Taylor Fritz. Djokovic emerged with a four set win, 6-3, 7-5, 3-6, 6-4 to undertook the semifinals. Having involved Dhoni added some glam element to this important tennis battle.
Unexpected Crossover, MS Dhoni and Tennis
With friends such as businessman Hitesh Sanghvi in tow, who shared photographs and short videos taken at the stalls, this spontaneous visit by Dhoni rapidly turned into a viral phenomenon. To Indian fans, this was a dramatic crossover moment cricket versus tennis at one of the world’s largest sporting events. But it was not only the spectacle of his presence that created buzz.
Irfan Pathan’s claim of ‘Hookah’
Meanwhile, an old interview of five year old with former all rounder Irfan Pathan surfaced and sparked off controversy. In the video, Pathan answered popular rumors that he was not in the national team, saying that he was not the type to lay hookah in the room of someone in order to get favoritism, a remark many believed was about Dhoni. The name Pathan was soon the buzzword as the fans analysed the connotations. He moved to X, disagreeing with the storyline and alleging that fan war and PR lobby strategies distorted what he was saying. This new found story was mixed with a nostalgia of Dhoni on a silent evening at Flushing Meadows and the re emergence of past hurts and hot blood memory.
US Open 2025 matches
In the meantime, Djokovic, who had defeated Fritz on the court, had been moved to a semifinal match with Carlos Alcaraz, a rematch of stakes are high Olympic and Grand Slam Final. As Dhoni stood among the fans and memes, opinions, and shock spread on social media, the night reminded all of us of how sporting worlds collide at the easiest moments and how legends live long after they get off the field.
Also Read: Boxing World Championships 2025 Action Begins, Can Indian Boxers Make History?
