It’s no real secret that tennis stars Nick Kyrgios and Novak Djokovic have not been on the best of terms.
Earlier this year Kyrgios criticised the Serbian world no.1 in a tweet calling him a “tool” for the letter he had written to the Australian Open officials with quarantine demands.
The Australian tennis player also went on to say that Bernard Tomic’s partner had “no perspective” regarding her complaints about not being able to have hairdresser’s wash her hair during the hotel quarantine period.
Djokovic faced backlash from fans and organisers alike but defended his requests as “good intentions” that were misconstrued.
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During his chat with media at Melbourne Park on Sunday afternoon, Djokovic was questioned about 25-year-old’s tweet last month.
“I’ve said this before. I think he’s good for the sport,” Djokovic said.
“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.”
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Djokovic praised Kyrgios’ game play, but that is where the positive words ended.
“My respect goes to him for the tennis he’s playing. I think he’s 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,” he said.
“Off the court, I don’t have much respect for him, to be honest.”
The Serbian tennis star left his comments on the tweet there saying he doesn’t have “any further comments for him, his own comments for me or anything else he’s trying to do”.
Kyrgios had expressed Djokovic’s choice to stage the Adria Tour after two players test positive for COVID-19 was a “bonehead decision” back in June of last year.