'Very emotional': Stefanos Tsitsipas hits back at Nick Kyrgios sledge
World No.6 Stefanos Tsitsipas has hit back at Nick Kyrgios’ Instagram sledge about the Laver Cup after the Aussie slammed Team Europe for having ‘no banter’.
Kyrgios was in hot form after admitting to drinking a few glasses of wine - during an Instagram Live with Andy Murray - on the weekend and couldn’t help but take a dig at Team Europe when asked why he loved playing team events so much.
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“It's because it's fun man,” he told Murray.
“I am there with my best buds, trying to beat some European guys who have no banter, don't give one-eff about each other and act like they care for one week which p*sses me off.
“Let's be honest, (Stefanos) Tsitsipas and (Alexander) Zverev hate each other, then they are besties all of a sudden...p*ss off.
“Someone like (Dominic) Thiem ... I mean I like to get good vibes from trying a new cocktail ... he'd prefer to watch paint dry.
“Team World, that is what we are all about man, if you (Murray) came over to Team World we would win.”
But Tsitsipas hit back at this sledge and labelled the Laver Cup his favourite tournament, contradicting Kyrgios’ claims.
The World No.6 said the chance to learn and play doubles with the likes of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal was always “very emotional.”
“My favourite tournament is the Laver Cup. I love the vibes at the Laver Cup, we were all so connected, we came into the tournament as a union, trying to represent our continent and it just felt magical to be on the same team as Roger [Federer] and Rafa [Nadal],” he said on Eurosport.
"I got to play doubles with both of them and it was a great experience for me. It was a dream come true for sure.
“As a child, I would never have dreamed the Laver Cup would ever happen – a competition between Europe and the Rest of the World – I would never think that would be possible but it happened and I got to be part of it.”
The Greek star also said he was finding a happy medium when it comes to training and resting due to the the coronavirus pandemic suspending the ATP Tour.
Kyrgios sledges Djokovic on Instagram
Kyrgios, who has never hidden his antipathy for world No.1 Novak Djokovic, claimed he was an inferior player to Murray, despite the visibly embarrassed Scotsman knowing he trails him 11-8 in 19 tour finals, including seven grand slam deciders.
“I said that to you many times. I think you are better than Djokovic,” Kyrgios said
“Djokovic was playing dodgeball on my serve and you were slapping it for a winner. He was trying to dodge it, you were on it like a light.”
Murray responded by saying: “The results would suggest otherwise.”
Kyrgios has endured a rocky relationship with Djokovic, once describing the Serb's post-match ‘cup of love’ celebrations as “cringeworthy”.
Djokovic, claimed the Australian, had a “sick obsession with wanting to be liked”.
A laughing Murray then cut off the stream before Kyrgios could upset anyone else.
