Nick Kyrgios v Novak Djokovic feud: Australian unloads in Instagram chat with Andy Murray
In a red-wine-fuelled Instagram chat with good friend and three-time grand slam champion Andy Murray, fiery Australian Nick Kyrgios has unloaded on a range of topics – including tennis’ biggest stars.
Tennis
Don't miss out on the headlines from Tennis. Followed categories will be added to My News.
A red-wine addled Nick Kyrgios has declared his love for Andy Murray and lambasted some of tennis’ biggest names in a wildly entertaining Instagram Live chat between the pair.
Murray, at home in Surrey, just outside London, set up the 30-minute catch-up which was broadcast via his Instagram page.
Kyrgios was still up and about at his base in Canberra in the early hours of Sunday morning, clearly the worse for wear.
The former world No.1 and three-time grand slam winner has been a staunch defender of the mercurial Aussie, who has managed to enthral and enrage the tennis community in equal measure since his break out season in 2014.
Nick Kyrgios a few red wines down in his Instagram live with Andy Murray just now... pic.twitter.com/Oi6ER765Ps
— Stuart Fraser (@stu_fraser) May 16, 2020
In a conversation dominated largely by the Australian, Murray asked him how many glasses of wine he’d drunk.
“About as many games as you gave me at Wimbledon that year, about six,” Kyrgios responded, in reference to Murray’s comfortable win over him in round of 16 at the All England four years ago.
Murray then asked Kyrgios why he got more excited playing in team events like the Laver Cup than for grand slams, setting up the big-serving 24-year-old for a rant about players on the ATP Tour.
“It’s because it’s fun man,” he said.
“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 pisses me off.
“Let’s be honest, (Stefanos) Tsitsipas and (Alexander) Zverev hate each other, then they are besties all of a sudden.
“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.”
Kyrgios revealed he is to be a groomsman at the wedding of American doubles star Jack Sock then begged Murray, whose career has been thwarted by hip problems for the last 18 months, to team up with him when tennis finally resumes.
“We don’t care about (Rafael) Nadal, (Novak) Djokovic and Feds (Roger Federer), man. We all love you. Ordinary people like us love you,” he said.
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.”
A laughing Murray then cut off the stream before Kyrgios could upset anyone else.
Originally published as Nick Kyrgios v Novak Djokovic feud: Australian unloads in Instagram chat with Andy Murray