"What I like about Novak Djokovic is that he deals with a lot of sh*t but keeps on going" - Nick Kyrgios
Nick Kyrgios has openly praised and advocated the stellar mindset that Novak Djokovic has displayed over the years in his professional career. Kyrgios was speaking in a recent interview with Alastair Campbell.
The Aussie's 'bromance' with Djokovic at the 2022 Wimbledon Championships had caught the attention of the tennis world. The duo clashed in the event's final round where, despite Kygrios' efforts, Djokovic prevailed to win the grass-court Major for a seventh time.
Kygrios and Djokovic now share a special bond; the pair have been witnessed exchanging humorous and heartfelt messages on social media. The World No. 2 also jokingly offered to coach Kyrgios, a generous offer which was later turned down by the Aussie citing personal reasons.
Nick Kyrgios recently featured in an interview series Talking Heads, and was asked to describe Novak Djokovic in a word. The Aussie tennis star was quick to cut to the chase and described Djokovic as a "legend" of the sport.
He also applauded the Serb for having a rugged mentality. While Djokovic has earned the privilege of amassing a colossal fan base owing to his jaw-dropping achievements, a few also criticize some of his actions.
But Kyrgios believes Djokovic's mindset assists him in fending off the negative energy directed toward him and maintaining his sanity as well as delivering results.
"I would say the word has changed maybe six times during the time I have known him. But right now, the word is legend. He’s a real legend of the game. What I like about Novak is that he deals with a lot of sh*t but just keeps going," Kyrgios said (via Menshealth).
"He has a fan base where a lot of people love him and a lot of people don’t. He sometimes doesn’t know where he can play, what tournament, he deals with a lot of other people’s opinions coming at him, and he just does it. That’s a cool thing," he added.
Nick Kyrgios is set to face David Goffin in Wimbledon first round
Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios is scheduled to start his Wimbledon campaign on July 4 with a match against Belgium's David Goffin in the first round.
Both players are some way off their peak form. Goffin's ranking has dropped outside the top 100, and multiple injuries have kept Kyrgios on the sidelines almost the entire 2023 season.
Unfortunately for Goffin, Nick Kyrgios enjoys the advantage of having played the final of Wimbledon 2022. That would give him the upper hand in the match, and many believe he is the favorite to win and progress to the second round.