Nick Kyrgios on Novak Djokovic drama: ‘How we are handling the situation is bad, really bad’

Australian Open
Novak Djokovic banner at Melbourne detention centre

He is far from Novak Djokovic’s biggest fan, but Nick Kyrgios has urged everyone to “do better” in terms of the treatment of the world No 1, saying the situation has been handled poorly.

The 20-time Grand Slam winner remains in a detention facility in Melbourne after his Australian visa was cancelled by the Australian Border Force as they did not approve of his “exemption permission” to enter the country.

The move came on the back of Djokovic refusing to get vaccinated against Covid-19 despite Tennis Australia’s mandate that all players need to be inoculated to compete.

However, there was some confusion over the message that Tennis Australia gave to players as some believed they could enter the country if they had Covid-19 up to six months prior, but Australian authorities had made it clear that they did approve of “natural immunity” as a reason for an exemption.

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Djokovic was due to be deported late on Thursday, but he decided to take legal action with the case set to be heard on Monday.

In the meantime, he remains in a hotel with detainees and refugees, but Kyrgios – who has never been afraid to criticise the Serbian if he steps out of line – is far from happy with the way Djokovic has been treated.

“Look I definitely believe in taking action, I got vaccinated because of others and for my mums health, but how we are handling Novak’s situation is bad, really bad,” he wrote.

“Like these memes, headlines, this is one of our great champions but at the end of the day, he is human. Do better.”

Nick Kyrgios Novak Djokovic

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