Novak Djokovic makes startling Nick Kyrgios call as Aussie tennis star sets bold US Open goal
Djokovic says tennis desperately needs Kyrgios back.
Ahead of the men's Wimbledon final Novak Djokovic revealed tennis rival and friend Nick Kyrgios has told him he will be back in action at the upcoming US Open. The Serb ace is gearing up for his 10th Wimbledon final against Carlos Alcaraz and has been getting in some practice rounds with the Aussie.
And Djokovic has delivered an ominous warning to the entire men's tour, saying he is nearing his peak again. "I can tell you yesterday when we practised, he (Kyrgios) hit a really good serve, and he said, 'Well, I might come back at the US Open'," Djokovic told reporters.
"So I don't know if he was joking about it or not, but let me tell you, he's hitting the ball as good as ever really. He's so talented. He's so good with his tennis. I think he said that the wrist bothers him mostly with the serve, but he's been increasing the load, the intensity and the speed.
"He's not going for full pace or full-strength serve, but he's close to that. I hope he can come back, personally, and I think everyone in tennis hopes he can come back quickly because we definitely need him on the tour.''
Kyrgios was originally hoping he would make his return at Wimbledon. But after a nightmare 12 months, where he only managed a single match at the ATP level, he was unable to get his body right in time. But the Aussie has still been on deck for the grand slam as part of the Wimbledon commentary team and is confident he will be back in action competing next month.
Kyrgios is planning to play in the fast-paced Ultimate Tennis Showdown, an exhibition run by French coach Patrick Mouratoglou, in New York, ahead of the US Open in late August. If Kyrgios is to get through his tennis return unscathed, he expects to compete at the US Open.
Nick Kyrgios getting the tennis itch back at Wimbledon
The Aussie, who made the final at Wimbledon in 2022 but lost to Djokovic, previously admitted he probably would have walked away from tennis if he had won the tournament. But upon reflecting on whether he wants to return to tennis after his injury layoff, the Aussie star said he realised just how much he has missed competing.
"I’ve missed beating people. I miss winning. And I was winning so much in 2022 before I had to stop," Kyrgios said in an interview with uts.live. “I want to get back out there and have that feeling and I feel that I want to give my fans one more year, or two more years, of the Nick Kyrgios experience.”
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And while he may not be on the court competing at the All England Club, Kyrgios says while he is enjoying watching and analysing the tournament it has shone a light on just how much he misses it. "Honestly, I want to do both moving forward," said Kyrgios. "I love being here and watching it and analysing it, but I do miss being out there. You know the rush it brings. I want to give the fans something to remember, whether it's good or bad.
"Physically I'm good, I had a two-hour practice this morning. I've been hitting with Novak every other day, so it's been good. Everything's going well."
Novak Djokovic says tennis needs Nick Kyrgios
Djokovic says the Aussies impact on tennis cannot be understated and he can't wait to see him back on the court. "He's very positive. It's nice to see him full of life, full of energy," Djokovic said. Like, he's really pumped to be here in Wimbledon enjoying our practice sessions and commentating. He's an extremely important guy for our sport. I think he brings new fans.
"It's a little bit of a bromance that we are having in the last few years, considering we really didn't like each other at all for many years. But now we are getting along very well. He was very nice also to my kids. He played with them.
"I think the return is near, but it's hard to say really because one thing is really practising for like an hour or two, but completely something different when you are out there on the tour playing in a tournament where you have to come back every single day, maybe for four, five, six days in a row. I guess he will also not know if his wrist will react well until he actually plays a tournament."
with AAP
