Australian Open news: Nick Kyrgios def Novak Djokovic, talks retirement plans; feud with Alex de Minaur
Although Friday’s encounter between Novak Djokovic and Nick Kyrgios was an exhibition, it showed both men appear to have shaken off their injury concerns and ready to battle for the Aus Open’s crown.
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As far as fitness tests go they don’t come more comprehensive.
Fifteen thousand people on centre court and a global TV audience were all watching to see any hints of issues with Novak Djokovic and Nick Kyrgios.
The pair had both come into the Australian Open with injury concerns.
Djokovic tweaked his hamstring winning in Adelaide last week and then felt it again during a practice session during the week while Kyrgios had pulled out of the United Cup and the Adelaide tournament because of a sore knee.
The exhibition match for charity against his good friend was the first time the Australian had been sighted all year.
After getting a standing ovation from the capacity crowd inside Rod Laver Arena, Djokovic quickly showed that the tape on his left hamstring was only a precaution.
He was sliding, jumping and even dancing all over the place to clearly shrug off any fitness concerns.
The same was happening at the other end of the court with Kyrgios smashing down aces and cracking forehands like it was a final.
While there were plenty of laughs throughout the Fast 4 contest, at times things got willing and the shot-making off the charts.
The pair hadn’t met since last year’s epic Wimbledon final which Djokovic won with Kyrgios mentioning it before the match.
““I’m not gonna lie, I’m nervous standing back out here,” Kyrgios said. “I’m not gonna give him any insight into how my body is feeling, I’m coming at him hot tonight.
“I need payback from Wimbledon, I’m not gonna lie I haven’t slept since.”
He did get some revenge to keep his winning record against the nine-time Australian Open champion with Team Kyrgios - he had the help of a 10-year-old junior and wheelchair player in the tie-break — prevailing 4-3 2-4 (10-9).
For Djokovic the match was as much about testing the waters given last year’s furore where he was banned from playing the Open and kicked out of the country because of Covid visa issues.
The reception he got from the fans in Rod Laver Arena showed how much Australia was happy to have him back at his favourite tournament.
“It feels great to be back in Australia, back in Melbourne,” Djokovic said. “This is the court and stadium where I’ve created the best memories of my tennis career.
“Thank you for welcoming me in a good way tonight.”
Djokovic revealed he’d informed Kyrgios that the pair were in the same quarter of the draw as the Australian hadn’t bothered to check when it came out on Thursday.
The pair are scheduled to meet in the quarter-finals if they get that far with the Serbian potentially facing another Aussie, Alex de Minaur, in the fourth round.
When asked if he thought Kyrgios was ready to win a grand slam, Djokovic said: “He’s 2-1 (career record) against me so as far as I’m concerned he can win anything.”
Both start their campaigns on Tuesday with Kyrgios facing Russia’s world No.98 Roman Safiullin with No.9 seed Denmark’s Holger Rune and No.5 seed Andrey Rublev on his path through the first week.
Djokovic, who is looking to join Rafael Nadal on 22 grand slam titles, plays Spain’s Roberto Carballes Baena in the opening round.
KYRGIOS’ REVEALING RETIREMENT CALL AMID SIMMERING FEUD
Nick Kyrgios has wrapped up a night of entertainment with a moment of clarity, and perhaps even honesty, when asked whether one grand slam title would be enough for him to call time on his tennis career.
Kyrgios said last year that a grand slam win would be enough to call it quits, and repeated that claim when quizzed on it after his charity bash with Novak Djokovic.
“100 per cent,” Kyrgios said in his on-court interview.
Meanwhile, there are fears two of the biggest names in Australian tennis are feuding, after an icy interview from world No.24 Alex de Minaur on Friday.
Read more below in our blog of Kyrgios’ charity clash victory over with nine-time Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic
8.30PM: NICK’S HONEST RETIREMENT CALL
Nick Kyrgios has wrapped up a night of entertainment with a moment of clarity, and perhaps even honesty, when asked whether one grand slam title would be enough for him to call time on his tennis career.
Kyrgios said last year that a grand slam win would be enough to call it quits, and repeated that claim when quizzed on it after his charity bash with Novak Djokovic.
“100 per cent,” Kyrgios said in his on-court interview.
“It’s a lot of training, a lot of work, and I just want to be able to eat whatever I want, drink what I want to drink.
“It’s a hard lifestyle. The dedication these guys show ... I did a bit of that last
year to show the world I’m still one of the best.
“But I’m going to try and do it this year and hopefully I can do it, but it will be hard.”
For what it’s worth, Djokovic said Kyrgios has what it takes to win it all at Melbourne Park in the next fortnight.
“He is 2-1 against me. As far as I’m concerned he can win anything,” Djokovic said.
8.20PM - TEAM KYRGIOS TAKES THE WIN
And that’s a wrap! Team Kyrgios gets the 4-3 2-4 (10-9) win thanks to a fine volley winner from the young lad who joined Kyrgios for the tiebreaker.
The kids acquitted themselves beautifully, it must be said. The tennis was very much on the ‘fun’ side, but the crowd has got their money’s worth.
And now we wait for the on-court interviews - which could be even more entertaining than the tweeners.
8.10PM - WE MOVE TO A TIEBREAKER
It’s a 10-point match tiebreaker - with Kyrgios and Djokovic joined by two wheelchair tennis stars and a pair of 10-year-old rising juniors.
All six players are mic’d up, leading to some entertaining banter. He's the best of it.
Djokovic: “Go to Nick. He is the weaker link.”
Kyrgios, on Djokovic: “His forehand return breaks down little bit.”
Team Kyrgios leads 6-4 as the youngsters are brought on.
8PM: ‘I LOST MY JOB IN FRONT OF 15,000 PEOPLE’
Novak Djokovic has won the second set 4-2, thanks to some helpful advice from a fan in the front-row - and promptly ‘sacked’ coach Goran Ivanisevic.
Ivanisevic, who will mentor the all-time great in next week’s Australian Open, has been dethroned by a fella with a shaved head probably having a couple of Friday night beers.
“Yeah, I lost my job in front of 15,000 people,” Ivanisevic joked.
“But I’ve a flight at 10:45... Emirates, so I’m OK.”
With a court-side seat to see this clash, Ivanisevic is getting an up-close-and-personal look at Nick Kygios.
But would he coach him?
“I don’t think he needs a coach,” Ivanisevic says, rather diplomatically.
“He is one and only.”
7.40PM: KYRGIOS TAKES THE FIRST SET
Well, perhaps Kyrgios was right? He takes the first set, as Djokovic crumbles - albeit in a friendly manner.
In the tie-break - first to five - Djokovic rushed to serve, a move that drew applause and laughter from the crowd but also handed Kyrgios three set points.
The Australian banks it on his second, with Djokovic ending a lengthy final point with a backhand error.
Kyrgios takes the first set 4-3. What odds on a Djokovic comeback? In a charity match? Surely not!
7.30PM: ‘HE’LL START CRUMBLING’
At 2-3 on serve, Kyrgios is happy with the state of the match.
“It’s going the way I want it right now. I need to hold my serve and he will start crumbling as the match unfolds,” Kyrgios said, with tongue in cheek one suspects.
The good news for Kyrgios is that he’s also moving well around the court. That ankle injury which has bothered him over the summer looks to have come together just in time for the Australian Open.
Djokovic, meanwhile, saw the funny side after he lost a point on a let serve - which apparently is a thing in Fast 4.
“Right. I didn’t get my memo before the match. So good to see that there are some rules that are different,” he said.
7.25PM: TWEENERS, ACES AS CHARITY CLASH ALL SQUARE
Tonight, they’re playing under the Fast 4 rules - a best-of-three match, but it’s first to four games, rather than six, to win a set. So it could be rapid-fire.
Djokovic wasted little time to get on the board, winning the opening game in little more than a minute.
Kyrgios hits back by holding serve - complete with a Djokovic tweener which ends up in the stands.
Through four games, it’s all square at 2-2 - with both players holding serve fairly comfortably.
There’s a good mix of friendly tennis and competitive tennis right now, but Djokovic’s hamstring is certainly getting a workout - and so far he looks to be moving quite freely.
7.10PM: KYRGIOS OUT FOR REVENGE OVER WIMBLEDON LOSS
Both players have taken the court and conducted pre-match interviews, with Nick Kyrgios vowing to avenge his defeat in last year's Wimbledon final - and Djokovic saying the Australian is ‘in my prayers’.
Both received a hero’s welcome as they walked onto Rod Laver Arena, with the crowd in fine form early as Djokovic was asked about Kyrgios 2-1 record over him.
“It’s going to be 2-all after tonight,” he joked.
Meanwhile, Kyrgios had revenge on his mind.
“I’m not gonna lie, I’m nervous standing back out here,” Kyrgios said, before being asked about his ankle injury.
“I’m not gonna give him any insight into how my body is feeling, I’m coming at him hot tonight.
“He plays a lot more tennis than I do, so I know he has got to manage his body a little differently. But let’s have fun tonight and hopefully we pull up all right.
“I need payback from Wimbledon, I’m not gonna lie I haven’t slept since.”
6.45PM: ICY DEMON INTERVIEW SPARKS FEARS OF KYRGIOS FEUD
There are fears two of the biggest names in Australian tennis are feuding, after an icy interview from world No.24 Alex de Minaur on Friday.
The falling out - believed to be related to Kyrgios’ recent last-minute withdrawal from the United Cup, and prior absences from the Davis Cup - is the last thing organisers want to hear on the eve of the Australian Open.
But on Friday, de Minaur was all-but gagged from talking about his controversial compatriot - with reporters regularly shut down when questions about Kyrgios were raised at a media event.
“Let’s stop with the questions, if we don’t have anything else about the tournament, we might wrap up,” a media advisor said after stepping in to protect the 23-year-old de Minaur.
“Let’s avoid Nick questions... if you could just focus on the tournament?”
De Minaur did reveal that he had not spoken to Kyrgios in one rare answer that slipped through about his fellow Australian headline act.
De Minaur will begin his Australian Open with a first-round clash with Taiwan’s Hsu Yu Hsiou.
6.30PM: WHAT TO EXPECT FROM WARM-UP EXHIBITION?
Welcome to our live coverage of tonight’s exhibition/warm-up match between Australian entertainer Nick Kyrgios and the King of Rod Laver Arena, Novak Djokovic.
Who knows what to expect from tonight?
Kyrgios has had a catastrophic build-up, which included pulling out of the United Cup and the Adelaide International with an ankle injury.
With that in mind, a proper hit-out could be deemed essential for his Australian Open campaign.
Djokovic, the nine-time Australian Open champion, is always a popular figure in Melbourne - as evidenced by the 58-minute sell-out of this clash with Kyrgios.
The Serbian star has injury concerns of his own, however, with a hamstring injury ending a warm-up match with Daniil Medvedev this week.
So how much tennis will we get? Who knows. But with Kyrgios and Djokovic on the court it’s bound to be entertaining.
6.10PM - BRUTAL SACRIFICE KYRGIOS WILL MAKE FOR AUS OPEN SUCCESS
Nick Kyrgios says he’s willing to forgo defending his Australian Open doubles title if it helps him in his bid to land a maiden grand slam singles title.
Kyrgios, alongside Thanasi Kokkinakis, claimed his first grand slam title when the pair went on a memorable run in the doubles event at the 2022 Australian Open.
But it’s a sacrifice he’s willing to make in the next fortnight if things pick up for him in the singles – despite a daunting draw looming – and the same, he says, goes for Kokkinakis.
“Definitely I think from both parties. If he’s going deep as well, which he’s more than capable of doing I think that we’re gonna have to,” Kyrgios said.
“We’re singles players at heart and the doubles grand slam last year was just a flash in the pan, how we were able to do that.
“We haven’t had one conversation about doubles yet, about like how we’re going to approach it or anything. We’re just going to go in it, have some fun. If we play, we play. If we don’t, we don’t.”
EXPLOSIVE PRECURSOR TO KYRGIOS-DJOKER CHARITY CLASH
If you think the Nick Kyrgios-Novak Djokovic exhibition match will be just that, think again.
Kyrgios will take his explosive off-court form to Rod Laver Arena tonight against his old sparring partner turned best bud.
In what will be his first hitout of the year, Kyrgios has been practising his serves on social media, taking on all comers - including a trio of Australian tennis legends - ahead of his home grand slam, a tournament he believes he can win in 2023.
Kyrgios’ running battle with the country’s greats started on the eve of the 2022 Wimbledon final against Djokovic.
“The greats of Australian tennis, they haven’t always been the nicest to me, personally,” he said. “They haven’t always been supportive and they haven’t been supportive these two weeks. So it’s hard for me to read things they say about me. It’s pretty sad because I don’t get any support from ... the past greats.”
Pat Cash supported Kyrgios’ claims, questioning Tennis Australia’s decision to stage a charity exhibition three days out from the start of the Australian Open.
“In what country, in what grand slam – would you have Wimbledon suddenly pulling out Centre Court or Court 1 because Andy Murray needed a practice match?” he told SEN Sportsday.
Wow Nick Kyrgios is bad for the sport! Wow what a disgrace, a national embarrassment! How dare he sell out another stadium, the arrogance https://t.co/Sn37U2nAjv
— Nicholas Kyrgios (@NickKyrgios) January 10, 2023
“It’s hard to believe, they certainly wouldn’t do it at the French Open. There’s kids day and whatever and you go and play that. At the French Open it wouldn’t happen.
“They’ve bent over backwards to help Nick to get some matches and to do this, I don’t know.”
The exhibition also drew the ire of tennis journalist Luke Dennehy who mocked the match on Twitter: “Wow @NickKyrgios and @DjokerNole match on Friday sold out in 58 minutes. Wow!”
Kyrgios responded to the tweet in typical fashion: “Wow Nick Kyrgios is bad for the sport! Wow what a disgrace, a national embarrassment! How dare he sell out another stadium, the arrogance.”
There’s no doubt the polarising Aussie will be trying to win over fans before the title tilt.
Originally published as Australian Open news: Nick Kyrgios def Novak Djokovic, talks retirement plans; feud with Alex de Minaur
Major Kyrgios news in Aussie Open statement
While Nick Kyrgios has been busy commentating and promoting his new beer, he’s also been getting ready for a comeback to the tennis court.
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Slow progress recovering from a hip injury is threatening to derail Alex de Minaur’s aspirations ahead of the Australian Open next year.