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Djokovic Takes Aim at Krygios Ahead of Australian Open
Novak Djokovic says he doesn’t have ‘much respect’ for Nick Kyrgios away from the court.
As the players gear up for the start of the Australian Open in Melbourne, Djokovic was asked what he thought of Kyrgios calling him ‘a tool’ on Twitter last month.
Kyrgios did so after world number one Djokovic made a list of requests of Tennis Australia and the Victorian government for tennis players stuck in hard hotel quarantine.
When asked about Krygios, Djokovic said: “I’ve said this before. I think he’s good for the sport. Obviously, he’s someone that is different. He goes about his tennis, he goes about his off-court things in his own authentic way.
“I have respect for him. I have respect for everyone else, really, because everyone has a right and freedom to choose how they want to express themselves, what they want to do.
“My respect goes to him for the tennis he’s playing. I think he’s a very talented guy. He’s got a big game. He has proven that he has a quality to beat any player really in the world in the past.
“Off the court, I don’t have much respect for him, to be honest. That’s where I’ll close it. I really don’t have any further comments for him, his own comments for me or anything else he’s trying to do.”
Djokovic, who has won the Australian Open a record eight times, will play France’s Jeremy Chardy in the first round on Monday.
Krygios, meanwhile, has been suffering with a knee injury but is expected to be fit to face Portuguese qualifier Frederico Ferreira Silva.
/Stewart Sports news editor
