Nick Kyrgios hits out at ‘idiotic’ question directed at Novak Djokovic and makes GOAT claim

US Open
Novak Djokovic and Nick Kyrgios pre-match

Novak Djokovic tends to take any question that comes his way in his stride in the numerous press conferences he attends during a tournament, yet that measured approach has not been followed by Nick Kyrgios throughout his colourful career.

The maverick Aussie has been absent from the court for most of 2023 and his colourful presence has been missed on and off the court by his army of fans.

Now he has leapt to the defence of his old foe Djokovic once again, as the once feuding duo continue their belated bromance.

Kyrgios was an outspoken critic of Djokovic for many years, but he supported the Serbian during his failed battle to play at the 2021 Australian Open, which ended in his deportation from Melbourne.

The duo then strengthened their bond as they contested a thrilling 2022 Wimbledon Singles final and now Kyrgios has taken to his social media platform to offer support to Djokovic.

After his quarter-final win against Taylor Fritz, the 23-time Grand Slam champion was asked to elaborate on his previous comments suggesting he can be hard to be around during a major tournament.

That question was greeted with this response from Kyrgois as he wrote: “Typical idiotic question. The guy is arguably the greatest athlete of all time. Clearly has never been in competition of a decent level in his life.”

Djokovic served up a more polite response to the question that Kyrgois would have offered, as he insisted all top players feel pressure when they are competing for the biggest prizes in tennis.

His 6-1, 6-4, 6-4 win over Fritz in the quarter-finals on Tuesday was a masterclass in clinical execution on the court, but the match still featured moments when Djokovic screamed at his box, which included long-time coach and former Wimbledon champion, Goran Ivanesevic.

Djokovic makes no apology for his passion on and off the court, as he offered up a glimpse into the standards he sets for himself and those around him.

“Who is not difficult,” asked Djokovic, when asked about why he yells at his coaching box during matches.

“I care about this profession and I take it very seriously. I know a lot of the other players do too.

“We expect the highest levels of dedication from our team members, as they expect from us.

“Overall, we are a team and we stick together. We have had some tremendous success in the last couple of years and I am pleased with where I stand.

“Yes I can be difficult, but I don’t know a player who is playing at the highest level and everything if flowers and music.

“It has to be challenging for everyone, for the player and the coaching staff, or there is no growth.

“That’s how you push yourself to the limit. You need to understand how you can develop the game and how you can become better on and off the court.”

Djokovic against Kyrgios is a showdown we would all like to see on a tennis court once again, but there have been no hints about when the big Aussie will be back on the court.

For now, his supporters have to accept the best they can get from Kyrgios is on his social media comments.

READ MORE: Novak Djokovic on Coco Gauff’s US Open dream as Brad Gilbert speaks out

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