Nick Kyrgios slams tennis greats Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic: “Can’t stand them”
Nick Kyrgios has shared his thoughts with tennis writer Ben Rothenberg about tennis greats Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.
Kyrgios was brutal in the interview, which was for The New York Times No Challenges Remaining podcast.
Kyrgios blasted Nadal for having double standards and also mentioned Djokovic over his “sick obsession” with wanting to be liked.
“He’s my polar opposite, like literally my polar opposite. And he’s super salty,” Kyrgios said about Nadal’s character.
“When he wins, it’s fine. He won’t say anything bad, he’ll credit the opponent, ‘He was a great player’. But as soon as I beat him, it’s just like, ‘He has no respect for me, my fans and no respect to the game’. And I’m like, ‘What are you talking about? I literally played this way when I beat you the other previous times and nothing changed, nothing changed’.
“It’s not a good look for you, I feel. And then (Nadal’s former coach) Uncle Toni came out saying, ‘He lacks education’. I’m like, ‘Bra, I did 12 years at school, you idiot. I’m very educated. I understand that you’re upset I beat your family again’. Rafa gets me vexed.”
After roasting Nadal, he took aim at Djokovic who is known to celebrate with his fans after a win by making a gesture to the crowd.
“I just feel like he has a sick obsession with wanting to be liked. He just wants to be like Roger (Federer),” Kyrgios said. “For me personally — I don’t care right now, I’ve come this far — I feel like he just wants to be liked so much that I just can’t stand him.
“This whole celebration thing that he does after matches, it’s like so cringe-worthy. It’s very cringe worthy.
“The celebration just kills me. Every time he does the celebration it just kills me. Honestly, that’s what I’m doing next time: if I play him and beat him, I’m doing his celebration, in front of him. That would be hilarious, right?
“Djokovic, again, just rubs me the wrong way. He always says what feels like he needs to say, never speaks his opinion.”
Despite praising Djokovic for being an “unbelievable player”, Kyrgios doesn’t believe he should be held in a higher regard than Swiss tennis legend Roger Federer.
“We’re talking about a guy [Djokovic] who pulled out of the Australian Open one year because it was too hot. No matter how many grand slams he wins, he will never be the greatest for me,” Kyrgios said.
“Simply because, I’ve played him twice (Kyrgios has won both times) and like, I’m sorry, but if you can’t beat me, you’re not the greatest of all time. Because if you like look at my day-to-day routine and how much I train and how much I put in, it’s zero compared to him.”
Kyrgios has ruffled feathers after a fit of rage and a chair throwing incident saw him being defaulted and fined from the Italian Open, where he is currently playing.
Other players have called for a higher ban, especially his opponent, Norwegian qualifier Casper Ruud, who said Kyrgios should be banned for six months or more.
However, Swiss legend Roger Federer disagrees as the current punishment is already enough. As Kyrgios was defaulted on the game, he forfeited his 45 ATP ranking pointed that were earned during the tournament, was fined $32,000 for unsportsmanlike behaviour and sacrificed his $55,000 in prize money.
“I don’t think he should be suspended,” Federer said. “He walked off the court. What did he do? He hurt a chair. That’s not enough for me.
“I don’t know if he’s on probation or not from his Shanghai thing. If that’s the case, then obviously you can maybe look into it. If that’s run its course, I don’t think he should be suspended.”