Novak Djokovic Invests in Le Mans; Becomes Co-owner of Ligue 2 Club
Novak Djokovic has now become a co-owner of Le Mans FC, a football club that has earned promotion to France’s Ligue 2. Former F1 drivers Felipe Massa and Kevin Magnussen have also invested in the club.
Tennis star Novak Djokovic has extended his interests beyond tennis by becoming a co-owner of Le Mans FC, which recently secured promotion to Ligue 2 — the second division of French football.
The club made the announcement on Friday, also stating that ex-Formula 1 drivers Felipe Massa and Kevin Magnussen have picked up stakes in the club.
In its official statement, Le Mans praised Djokovic’s competitive legacy and mental toughness, referring to him as:
“The most successful player in history, whose mental strength and unique mindset will offer significant added value.”
Likewise, the inclusion of Massa and Magnussen was described as a strategic move to build cross-sport connections between football and motorsport:
“Massa (15 seasons in F1) and Magnussen (10 seasons) will help forge a link between football and motorsport — a unique strength of the Le Mans brand,” the club’s statement said.
Le Mans FC will begin their 2024–25 Ligue 2 campaign on August 9, with an away match against En Avant Guingamp.
Djokovic Looks for Comeback After Wimbledon Loss
Djokovic’s latest venture outside the sport coincides with a tough phase in his 2024 tennis season.
He lost to World No. 1 Jannik Sinner in straight sets during the Wimbledon semi-finals last month (6–3, 6–3, 6–4). The 38-year-old Serbian clarified after the match that he is not retiring from the tournament yet.
“I’m not planning to finish my Wimbledon career today,” Djokovic said. “I definitely plan to come back — at least one more time.”
The loss brought an end to his attempt to match Roger Federer’s record of eight Wimbledon titles and also dashed hopes of securing a historic 25th Grand Slam title — the most by any male player.
The year 2024 has seen Djokovic battling several injuries. He had to retire from the Australian Open early due to a torn hamstring, was beaten by Sinner again at Roland Garros, and once more suffered defeat at Wimbledon against the same opponent.
Still, the 24-time Grand Slam winner is expected to return for the US Open — the final Grand Slam of the year — scheduled to begin in late August.
