Nick Kyrgios creates his ultimate player; picks Djokovic, Nadal, Federer, and himself – twice
Nick Kyrgios picked himself in two categories as he built his ultimate tennis player, while he also selected Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer.
In a conversation on the Let’s Trot Show podcast, Kyrgios named the players he feels are the best of all time in seven different aspects of the game.
The 2022 Wimbledon finalist also found places for two of his Australian compatriots.
SERVE – Nick Kyrgios
“I’ll take myself, since I gotta throw myself in on one of these. I think I do have pound for pound the best serve.
“I’m not super tall for a tennis player, [in] this day and age, I’m not super tall. I’m above average but I’m not super tall. [Daniil] Medvedev is 6ft6, [Alexander] Zverev – 6ft6. So, there’s some big boys out there.
“But pound for pound, I think I’ll take my serve. I think variation, second serve, first serve, rhythm.”
BACKHAND – Novak Djokovic
“I’ll take Novak [Djokovic]. Hands down the best backhand to ever, ever play the game. Redirecting, backhand line, backhand cross-court, movement, can turn defence into offense with one shot, so rock-solid. Easy, not even a question.”
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SLICE – Roger Federer
“Federer, 100%. Best slice to ever… Federer’s slice.”
SPEED – Alex de Minaur
“Pure speed, I’ll take de Minaur. Arguably one of the most rapid guys I’ve ever seen on a tennis court, change of direction, court coverage.”
FOREHAND – Rafael Nadal
“I’ve got one for forehand, I’m taking the Rafa [Nadal] forehand. I think he’s got the most dangerous forehand to ever play. I think if you don’t hit a ball to his backhand side with some interest, he’s running around it on that forehand.”
TENNIS IQ – Nick Kyrgios
“This is a hard one because I haven’t had a coach for six years. I mean look, I don’t know if in the history of tennis anyone [else] has made the finals of Wimbledon without a coach. So, [for] IQ, I would probably take myself.”
FITNESS – Rafael Nadal/Leyton Hewitt
“Fitness, it’s hard to go past Rafa. Rafa’s an animal man. Rafa or Lleyton Hewitt, fitness-wise. They’re probably two of the greatest competitors I’ve ever come across.”
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