During a moment when he wanted to break his silence and start a conversation with the Australian tennis player, Novak Djokovic acknowledged that he was wondering why Nick Kyrgios was making fun of him. However, their friendship was profoundly altered by the events surrounding the Australian visa gate.
Kyrgios was among the most vocal in criticizing the Australian authorities after Djokovic was detained in January 2022. At the time, Kyrgios was openly supporting Djokovic and claiming that the national authorities in his country weren’t treating him fairly.
Everything changed in that instant because Kyrgios and Djokovic have had a wonderful relationship and have developed a friendship since then. Interestingly, Djokovic agreed to appear as a special guest on Kyrgios’ recently released podcast.
Kyrgios asked in his podcast with Djokovic: “I asked the questions from the fans, I’ll start there, they said, ‘How did you guys bury the hatchet?’ There was a bit of turmoil. How did we get over that and become friends?”
Djokovic replied: “I don’t know what I have done to cause that kind of behaviour, yours towards me but it was interesting to follow that for a couple of years. A part of me was like, ‘Don’t answer, don’t get involved.’ And you were pushing all the buttons, man and then I thought to myself, ‘I want to speak to him’ because I don’t know what I have done. I’m boring to him.’ So then, two years ago, the thing happened that happened here in Australia for me. I don’t wanna go back but I had a tough time. And you stood up for me; you stood up for me; that was a big surprise.”
Djokovic was incredibly appreciative of Kyrgios’ gesture at the time. Even now, Djokovic is still really grateful that Kyrgios stood by him throughout one of the most difficult periods in his professional life.
Djokovic added: “You were one of the very few colleagues on the tour that stood up, that used his platform, that used his voice to support and that’s something I’ll never forget and since that moment, our relationship has gotten better.”
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Novak Djokovic in 2024
Ranked no.1, the Serbian played his last match on the 12th of May when he lost to world no.32 Alejandro Tabilo 6-2 6-3
in the 3rd round in Rome (draw).Presently, during this year Djokovic has managed to achieve a compiled 12-5 record. Novak Djokovic’s best result of this season was getting to the semifinal at the Australian Open and Monte Carlo.
The Serbian won 99 titles in his career: 53 on hard courts, 19 on clay courts, 19 on indoor courts and 8 on grass courts. (See the list of his titles)
Djokovic is scheduled to play next in Geneva (Gonet Geneva Open). He will begin to play the tournament from the main draw that will commence on the 19th of May using a wild card.
Nick Kyrgios in 2024
At the moment ranked no.470, Nick played his last match on the 13th of June 2023 when he lost to world no.293 Yibing Wu 7-5 6-3 in the 1st round in Stuttgart (draw).
At the moment, during this season Kyrgios achieved a composed 0-1 win-loss record.
Novak Djokovic and Nick Kyrgios squared off 3 times. Their current head to head is 2-1 for Kyrgios. Before, the last time they played, Novak Djokovic won 4-6 6-3 6-4 7-6(3) in the final in London (Wimbledon) in July 2022.
In the video below you can watch the highlights.
Novak Djokovic and Nick Kyrgios |
| Embed from Getty Images |