"Novak Djokovic told me he couldn't tell I'd had surgery" - Nick Kyrgios shares positive comeback update after Wimbledon practice with Serb
Nick Kyrgios and Novak Djokovic practiced together at the All England Club on Friday, July 5. The Australian, who has been away from competitive tennis for a long period, shared a positive update following a practice session that drew large crowds.
Kyrgios and Djokovic, who had a troubled relationship before 2022, have seen it evolve into a 'bromance' in the past few years. Now, the Serb is helping the Aussie to get back on the court after his multiple injury worries.
Kyrgios has played only one competitive game since October 2022. He has undergone knee and wrist surgeries in that period. The 29-year-old has taken up off-court duties now including commentary as he prepares to get back to fitness.
Kyrgios and Djokovic met for a light practice session on Friday and they attracted an audience as well. Their practice consisted of trick shots and giggles.
After the practice, Kyrgios took to his Instagram to thank the Serb and share a positive update about his career with his followers. He uploaded a post with a few pictures from the practice with the 37-year-old and captioned it:
"Maybe there will be one last ride... Thank you my friend."
Moreover, he also took to his Stories and wrote:
"Nearly 10 months since my brutal wrist surgery... First real test today and it almost brought me to tears the fact that I’ve been able to get back to this level - There were periods that maybe it wasn’t meant to be - Novak told me today that he couldn’t tell that I’d had the surgery... My team and I had to reflect on all the moments when s**t got hard... We keep going."
Kyrgios is targeting a return to competitive play this season.
Novak Djokovic empathizes with Nick Kyrgios and other athletes suffering with injuries
Novak Djokovic suffered from a knee injury due to which he had to withdraw from the 2024 French Open quarterfinals. Soon after, he underwent surgery and it was reported that the Serb might not be able to recover in time for Wimbledon.
However, the World No. 2 did his best to recover and launched an attempt to win a record-equaling eighth Wimbledon title. After his first-round win over Vit Kopriva, the Serb gave a shoutout to his friend Nick Kyrgios.
In an interview after the match, Djokovic mentioned that he was fortunate that his injuries were not as major as have been suffered by other payers like the Aussie.
“I’ve been fortunate comparing myself to other 37-year-olds. I had injuries like anybody else but they come and go. It’s part of what you do. You just have to accept it and embrace it. I think Nick Kyrgios is in the commentary box. He’s been struggling a lot with injuries. Talking about major injuries, he’s had a few,"
"I’ve been very fortunate to not be away from tennis for long. As an athlete I empathize with Nick and anyone who’s struggling. You almost feel helpless at times that something isn’t allowing you to come back to what you love most and you’re unable to do your profession for years.”
The 24-time Grand Slam winner got the better of Jacob Fearnley in the second round and will go up against Alexei Popyrin in the third round on Saturday, July 6.