"I want to bring Nick Kyrgios to Belgrade to thank him for supporting Novak Djokovic" - Serbia Open tournament director Djordje Djokovic
Nick Kyrgios was one of the few tennis players to have Novak Djokovic's back during his visa fiasco in Australia at the beginning of the year. As a way of repaying the favor, the Serb's brother Djordje Djokovic hopes he can give the Australian the opportunity to play in front of a grateful crowd at the Serbia Open.
While most of the world vilified the 20-time Grand Slam champion for his desire to play unvaccinated at the Australian Open, Kyrgios maintained that it was his own government that was at fault. The 26-year-old repeatedly highlighted how Djokovic helped the country during the 2020 bushfire crisis and declared that he deserved to be treated better by fans.
Kyrgios doubles down in his condemnation of how Australia has handled Djokovic's case: 'It's a mess – I just want it to end. I feel he has helped us. During the bushfires, he was supportive. We are so quick to forget. I'm feeling for him. It's not really humane, what's going on.'
Speaking in a recent interview with Serbian news portal Republika, Djordje Djokovic expressed his desire to convince the former World No. 13 to make at least one appearance in Belgrade before his retirement. Djordje is the tournament director of the Serbia Open, a tournament Nick Kyrgios has never competed in.
The 26-year-old went on to hail the mercurial Australian as an "entertainer" and a "serious athlete," adding that he had even more respect for him because of his characteristic frankness.
"I want to bring Nick Kyrgios to Belgrade, to thank him for supporting Novak, Belgrade and Serbia. He is an entertainer, he doesn't mince his words and he will always express his opinion, whatever it may be," Djordje Djokovic said. "But above all, he is a serious athlete and tennis player. I hope that he will come to the Serbia Open before he finishes his tennis career."
Nick Kyrgios to miss the entire European clay swing, will be back for the grass season
Unfortunately, Djordje Djokovic's wishes are unlikely to come true this year. Kyrgios has already revealed that he will be sitting out the entire European clay swing.
Kyrgios confirmed he will not play the European clay season.
Just Houston the week after Miami and then a two months break till a packed grass schedule -- Stuttgart, Queen's, Mallorca and Wimbledon.
Following his fourth-round exit at the Miami Masters, the Australian will play the U.S. Men's Clay Court Championship in Houston on April 4 as a wildcard. The 26-year-old will then take an extended break from the game and will only return when the grass season begins in June.
Kyrgios takes down #5 Rublev 6-3, 6-0, winning 11 of the last 12 games. And Rublev had been in very strong form, had won 13 of his past 14 matches.
The most ruthless performance I've seen from Nick Kyrgios. Scarily good. https://t.co/aj4SAWIe6u
Although the World No. 102 has won only seven matches in 2022 so far, there has been a marked improvement in his approach to the game. Kyrgios has beaten two players in the top 10 in the shape of Casper Ruud and Andrey Rublev, bageling the latter 6-0 in the second set of their second-round clash in Miami.
All three of his losses this season have come against top-10 players -- Daniil Medvedev, Rafael Nadal and Jannik Sinner.