Nick Kyrgios and Novak Djokovic feud rages on at Australian Open

Both produced fireworks on the court but it was the press room where the war of words between Novak Djokovic and Nick Kyrgios took another turn.

Nick Kyrgios has returned serve – with a grin – to Novak Djokovic revealing his lack of respect for the Australian star off the court, labelling the world No.1 a “very strange cat”.

The tit-for-tat between the high-profile duo is set to rage on now that Kyrgios has stoked the fire once more, only weeks after tweeting that the Serbian was “a tool” after his list of quarantine requests.

Djokovic had previously opted to bite his tongue at Kyrgios’ repeated chips at him, but the latest criticism appears to have tipped him over the edge.

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Novak Djokovic took apart Jeremy Chardy on Monday night.

“My respect goes to him for the tennis he’s playing. I think he’s a very talented guy, he’s got a big game and he’s proven that he has a quality to beat any player in the world,” Djokovic said on Sunday.

“Off the court, I don’t have much respect for him, to be honest. That’s where I’ll close it.”

Good morning to absolutely no-one but @NickKyrgios. His reaction at the end 😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/60okMRNfs8

— Steve Smith (@stevesmithffx) February 8, 2021

Kyrgios was quizzed on Djokovic’s comments after his straight-sets first-round win at the Australian Open on Monday night – and he didn’t hide his bemusement.

“It’s a strange one for me. I read his comments – he said he doesn’t respect me off the court.

“It actually would make complete sense to me if he was like, ‘I don’t respect the guy on the court’, because I understand if he doesn’t agree with some of my antics on the court that I’ve done in the past.

“But when we’ve played matches, I think I’ve been pretty good towards him.

“I’m not quite sure how you can’t respect me off the court. I feel like I’ve gone about things extremely well, especially during the pandemic.

“I was driving around delivering food to people during the pandemic that couldn’t get the supplies. I was extremely careful about what I was doing – I didn’t want to spread the virus to anyone.

“Now, I’m actually trying to donate meal kits to people who need food. I have a foundation. So it’s very strange to me why he would say he doesn’t respect me off the court – I actually do a lot off the court.

“But he’s a very strange cat, Novak is. A heck of a tennis player, but unfortunately someone who’s partying with his shirt off during a global pandemic, I don’t know if I can take any slack from that man.

Nick Kyrgios reacted with bemusement to Novak Djokovic’s comments on Sunday.

“That’s as bad as it gets for me.”

Djokovic initially declined to comment, following his own round one win, but then offered a more expansive answer to Serbian media.

“I really do not want to comment on that too much, because that is what he is looking for – some kind of debate, attention, who knows?” Djokovic said.

“But I am not going to give it to him, because he does not deserve it. That is it.

“I do not feel the need or do I feel that we should sit and talk. I have absolutely no interest in the guy.”

Tennis star reduced to tears after Aus Open ‘nightmare’

Tennis superstar and fan favourite Gael Monfils was reduced to tears after his surprise first round defeat at Melbourne Park.

Monfils crashed out of the Australian Open in a five-set thriller against unseeded Emil Ruusuvuori 3-6, 6-4, 7-5, 3-6, 6-3.

A tearful Gael Monfils was at a loss after his loss to Finland's Emil Ruusuvuori. Picture: AFP

The 10th seed had not lost in the first round of the Australian Open since 2006.

“I’m lacking confidence,” he said after his upset loss.

“I’m lacking that thing I need to find to turn things around and start winning.

“We want to win, I want to win, I have to rebuild.

“I don’t have any confidence.

“I would like to get out of this nightmare but I can’t.

“I don’t know when it’s going to end.

EMOTION from @Gael_Monfils 👊

More than just a game.#9WWOS #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/dJmmxdz4CT

— Wide World of Sports (@wwos) February 8, 2021

“It’s hard. Every time I get here I feel judged, I’ve lost again.

“I can’t serve, I’m playing badly.

“I’m being honest and it’s going to take time.”

Struggling to get words out towards the end of his press conference, Monfils said he would take the advice of his mother.

“‘You must continue to train and it will come back, that’s the thing’, she would say,” Monfils said.

UNSPORTSMANLIKE VILLAIN STUNS AUSSIE HERO

John Millman is out of the Australian Open after falling to pieces against a combustible – but crafty – Frenchman to cement a first-round exit at Melbourne Park for the first time in six years.

Corentin Moutet, the 21-year-old firebrand who Millman was expected to have little trouble with on Monday, picked fights with the crowd, fumed over the electronic line calls, glared at the chair umpire and ultimately overpowered the popular Australian in a gripping opening day five-setter.

John Millman during his shock first-round loss. Picture: David Caird

Corentin Moutet overcame a running battle with everyone to score the shock win. Picture: AFP

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Millman is no stranger to five-setters, but facing Moutet was a new adventure and he got the full experience from the entertaining left-hander as he went down 6-4 6-7 (4-6) 3-6 6-2 6-3.

After sealing the first set, Moutet quickly unravelled during a second-set meltdown.

The colourful Frenchman lost his cool during a tense second-set tie-break and was hit with a warning for unsportsmanlike conduct after twice stomping his racquet to the ground – and bizarrely threw a tennis ball at it – as Millman earned two set points.

As the crowd jeered, Moutet then took aim at the chair umpire, asking him if he felt ‘proud’ for calling the code violation – and later, after losing the second set, pretended to sleep at the change of ends.

He snoozed through the third set, too, and was staring at a first-round exit before feeding off the crowd as Millman capitulated in the fourth and fifth sets.

The ugly exit was complete when Millman was broken to love as Moutet sealed his first Australian Open win.