Italian Open 2019: Nick Kyrgios Abuses Novak Djokovic In An Interview

Nick Kyrgios has never been too far from controversies. He gets into yet another controversy as he launches a shocking attack on World No.1, Novak Djokovic. In an interview after his first-round win at the Italian Open 2019, Nick Kyrgios derides Djokovic’s “feel the love” celebration after winning. He claimed, Djokovic had a “sick obsession with himself”.

Nick Kyrgios has given his unprocessed thoughts on the top players of Tennis. However, the Australian targeted Novak Djokovic in particular. In an interview with ” No Challenges Remaining Podcast”, Nick Kyrgios passed some harsh comments on the Serbian.

Nick Kyrgios took a dig at Novak Djokovic’s winning celebration. The world no. 36 feels that Djokovic’s celebration is so awkward for him that he ‘can’t stand him’. He commented, “I just feel like he’s got a sick obsession with wanting to be liked. He just wants to be Federer. I feel he wants to be liked so much that I just can’t stand him. This whole celebration thing is so cringeworthy, it’s very cringeworthy.”

Nick Kyrgios desires to mock the Serb’s celebration in front of him. He said, “Djokovic just riles me the wrong way. He always says what he thinks he needs to say rather than his actual opinion. The celebration just kills me. Honestly, if I play him and beat him again, I’m doing the celebration in front of him, that would be hilarious.”

While Nick Kyrgios also acknowledged Novak Djokovic mastery in tennis but he also feels that Andy Murray would have been better than the 15-time grand slam champion.

Nick Kyrgios accepted that Nole is one of the greatest players on the ATP tour. But the Australian claimed that Djokovic will never be the greatest for him. He added, “Djokovic is unbelievable, a champion of the sport, one of the greatest we will ever see. I think he will get the Grand Slam count and overtake Federer. But no matter how many Grand Slams he wins, he will never be the greatest to me.”

Nick Kyrgios has a 2-0 win-loss against Novak Djokovic and 4-0 in terms of sets. Kyrgios perceives that in order to be the greatest, one needs to beat him. The Australian said, “Simply because I’ve played him twice and, I’m sorry, but if you cannot beat me, you cannot be the greatest of all time. If you look at my day to day routine, at how much I train and put in it’s zero compared to him.” 

Nick Kyrgios also commented on Andy Murray‘s injury. He said, “I’m sad. Genuinely sad. I think his record against Djokovic is embarrassing.”

The Australian added, “I feel he Murray is so much better than Novak, I’ve played them both. I think Andy returns better, his serve is better. He should have won so many more Grand Slams. Against Murray you can’t slice, he knows that’s garbage. But I feel Djokovic doesn’t really know what to do.”