"Easy for me" - Nick Kyrgios believes John McEnroe wouldn't have coped with him at his prime, emphasizes how even Federer, Nadal & Djokovic struggled
Nick Kyrgios bluntly claimed that he would have had the upper hand over tennis legend John McEnroe if they had encountered each other in Kyrgios' prime. The Aussie cited how his serve troubled top players like Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer to support his claim.
McEnroe was one of the most dominant players of his era, securing seven Grand Slam titles (three at Wimbledon and four at the US Open). The American also won nine Major doubles titles and a mixed doubles title in his illustrious career and was known for his aggressive personality. And yet these achievements had little effect on Kyrgios' self-belief.
During a recent interview with Piers Morgan Uncensored, the Aussie said that he would have defeated John McEnroe at his prime, calling that hypothetical encounter an "easy walk."
“That’s an easy walk for me. I think so… I’m serving pretty big.” [11:50]
The 2022 Wimbledon finalist believes that his serve would play a major role while facing McEnroe. He implied that if players like Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic struggled against his serve, then the 65-year-old legend, from an earlier era, would also have a tough time returning it.
“I mean, it’s a different era… I mean, (Roger) Federer, (Rafael) Nadal and Novak (Djokovic) have struggled. So, I don’t know how McEnroe is going to go against returning my serve,” Kyrgios added.
Both Kyrgios and McEnroe are currently commentators for BBC and covering the ongoing London Major. Kyrgios also manages a YouTube channel titled "Good Trouble".
"That’s the only issue that I’ve had with Nick Kyrgios" - John McEnroe about the Aussie
Like John McEnroe, Nick Kyrgios is renowned for his aggressive demeanor during tournaments.
In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, the seven-time Grand Slam champion stated that Kyrgios' aggression often makes him reflect on his own past actions.
“Each time he does something I go, ‘Did I do that?’ I like Nick as a person. I think he’s a smart kid. He moves the needle. I think the players like him. A lot of fans like him. There’s a lot of talk about him. He’s an incredible talent,” McEnroe said.
The 65-year-old further underscored the significance of consistently meeting performance expectations, which he felt Kyrgios failed to do over the years.
“Almost all athletes have that fear of failure, and the question is not whether or not you have that. It’s how you handle it. Can you go out there and consistently give the effort that’s expected of a professional athlete who’s getting rewarded handsomely for their services? That’s the only issue that I’ve had with Nick over the years,” he added.
The 29-year-old has been absent from the court since June last year due to injury issues that necessitated knee and wrist surgeries. He is putting in his efforts to work his way back on the court and keeps updating the fans about his recovery.