Nick Kyrgios says Australia is “very lucky” to have Novak Djokovic again for its summer time of tennis and has declared the returning Serb as nonetheless the person to beat at Melbourne Park and all through 2023.
Djokovic will start his marketing campaign to regain the Australian Open title, first as part of a high-quality Adelaide International warm-up on the flip of the yr earlier than he turns his consideration in direction of annexing a record-extending tenth crown within the season-opening grand slam.
And after being a vocal supporter of Djokovic over his therapy firstly of the yr when he was detained after which deported by authorities forward of the Australian Open, Kyrgios informed AAP: “He’s healthy, ready to play and put on a show for our fans and for our country – we’re very lucky to have him.”
The Serbian, who’s being allowed again into Australia after being granted a visa by the Australian authorities, had a truncated grand slam season due to his stance over not being vaccinated however did win his twentieth main at Wimbledon, defeating Kyrgios within the last.
“Look, he’s the best player in the world in my opinion,” stated Kyrgios of the person who’ll finish the yr because the no.5.
“I’m glad we’re welcoming him back to come in and show what a great tennis player he is.
“I really feel like no event is a full-strength event with out Novak Djokovic in it.
“Novak, (the retired Roger) Federer and (Australian and French champion Rafael) Nadal, they were always the three-headed monster everybody wanted to beat.”
Asked about his relationship with Djokovic, which famously appeared to blossom right into a ‘bromance’ between the pair at Wimbledon after years of obvious acrimony, Kyrgios stated: “It’s not really a new relationship – but the media tends to set the tone and they kinda created a narrative we didn’t really like each other.
“But Novak is aware of I used to be the one individual to actually rise up for him when a real-life challenge occurred.
“I feel like the respect, that when someone does that for you, when they talk about you and stand up for you in front of a whole nation, that’s when respect’s gained, not on how you behave on a tennis court towards each other.”
Asked by reporters on the exhibition Diriyah Tennis Cup occasion within the Saudi Arabian capital of Riyadh on Thursday about whether or not there is perhaps a brand new males’s grand slam singles champ in 2023, Kyrgios responded: “I’m gonna say ‘no’.
“Well, Rafa will win the French Open, Djokovic will in all probability win Wimbledon – until I cease him – so I do not know … Djokovic is so dominant that until somebody actually elevates their stage on the Australian Open or US Open, I am unable to see him dropping.
“(Daniil) Medvedev could maybe beat him. Look I’d love to win one – but, realistically, he’s so dominant.”
Kyrgios was overwhelmed within the first spherical in Riyadh in two super-tiebreak ‘units’ – 10-6 10-6 – by Britain’s Cameron Norrie, however hardly appeared too apprehensive with a six-figure payday coming his method no matter his outcomes.
His early exit meant he could be enjoying extra doubles as an alternative over the three-day occasion. “Obviously, it wasn’t the result I wanted but all credit to Cam, he just played solid and I made a few too many errors – and in the tie-break format, it’s always hard,” he shrugged.
“I’m not too mad about it. I feel like I’ve given the fans a little bit of Nick Kyrgios, which is okay, but hopefully the doubles will go a bit better.”
