Nick Kyrgios doubles down on savage take-down of Novak Djokovic

Nick Kyrgios says his morals mean he will continue to hold rival Novak Djokovic to account for his poor behaviour in recent months.

Aussie tennis star Nick ­Kyrgios claims he is taking the moral high ground as he continues to lob advice and insults at world No 1 Novak Djokovic.

In his latest serve in their feud, Kyrgios claims the Serb has to “set an example” to younger players.

Kyrgios, 25, used an interview with CNN to loftily detail what he saw as failings of Djokovic in recent months.

And he insisted he would not be backing away from calling out poor behaviour by other players.

“I think it’s very important, especially one of the leaders of our sport. He’s technically our LeBron James … he has to set an example for all tennis players out there and set an example for tennis,” Kyrgios said.

“I think when he was doing some of the things that he was doing during the global pandemic, it just wasn’t the right time,” he said, referring to Djokovic’s infamous “tennis tour” in June.

Nick Kyrgios has reignited his feud with Djokovic. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Kyrgios said everyone made “mistakes” but they needed to be held accountable. “We are colleagues at the end of the day, we compete in the same sport, but at the ­moment no one else is really holding him accountable,” he said

He urged his rival to “pull it back a bit”.

“Even some of us go off track sometimes, but I think we need to hold each other ­accountable,” Kyrgios said.

“I’m not doing any of this stuff for media attention, these are the morals that I’ve grown up with. I was just trying to do my part.”

Djokovic, who heads the proposed Professional Tennis Players’ ­Association, last week sent a list of demands to Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley, seeking looser quarantine conditions for Australian Open players, 72 of whom are in lockdown.

Novak Djokovic has come under fire in recent weeks.

Kyrgios last week described Djokovic as a “tool” over the move, and has said Djokovic had a “sick ­obsession” for wanting to be liked.

In recent months, Kyrgios has taken steps to reform his own image, battered in recent years by his behaviour on and off court.

He was suspended for misconduct during a match in 2019, hurled a chair across court before storming off during the Italian Open in the same year, and in 2015 made a crude remark about the then partner of rival player Stan ­Wawrinka.

Kyrgios told CNN he didn’t feel safe playing last year, but he did now, and he thought the delayed Australian Open would be a success.

“Health and safety always come first in my eyes … at the end of the day, it is only a tennis tournament that we’re playing and I don’t think it should override health protocols and putting other people at risk,” he said.

“I think if everyone went about the pandemic as Australia did, we would be in a very different position.”

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