Novak Djokovic attends Ballon d'Or ceremony in Paris, presents women's award to Aitana Bonmati

Game recognizes game. Novak Djokovic took time out from his preparations for the Rolex Paris Masters to take part in the Ballon d'Or ceremony in celebration of the world's best soccer players on Monday night in Paris.

The 2023 Ballon d'Or ceremony, presented by "France Football" magazine since 1956, was held at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris, a stone's throw away from Accor Arena, where Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz are resuming their head-to-head race for the ATP's year-end No. 1 ranking this week.

Djokovic has, in fact, taken advantage of a jammed Parisian sports calendar while in town for the year's final ATP Masters 1000 event. He also attended the rugby World Cup final between New Zealand and South Africa.

"It's nice to use the opportunity when I have the tournament in the city where you have some big sporting events like World Cup finals of rugby and of course, Ballon d'Or," Djokovic said. "I've never attended neither the rugby World Cup final, [nor] Ballon d'Or, so I'm really enjoying myself.

"I grew up watching football, playing football, my father was a professional for some time, so I'm really excited to be here."

Djokovic later presented the women's Ballon d'Or to Aitana Bonmati of World Cup winners Spain, which he called a "huge honor."

"It's a great privilege, surrounded by the best players in the world, in the greatest spot in the world," he said. "The sport I grew up with, playing every single day ... I think I was around 9 or 10 years old and I was deciding whether I was going to play football or tennis, so I chose tennis."

"I don't know if it was a good choice; I think it was," he said with a chuckle, to applause from the crowd.

A winner of a men's record 24 Grand Slam singles titles, Djokovic was also able to witness Lionel Messi win his record-extending eighth Ballon d'Or.

With soccer's biggest night now in the books for him, tennis will be back on Djokovic's brain when he takes the court alongside compatriot Miomir Kecmanovic in doubles on Tuesday, with his singles tournament to begin on Wednesday.

One question remains: Will Bonmati or Messi return the favor and watch Djokovic play?