Nick Kyrgios says Australia ‘created a monster’ in Novak Djokovic

Nick Kyrgios has hit the nail on the head with a blunt declaration on Australia’s treatment of Aussie Open champ Novak Djokovic.

Novak Djokovic looks out of the window of his quarantine hotel. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Naomi Jellicoe

Nick Kyrgios has absolutely nailed it.

Novak Djokovic has never called his return to Australia this summer a revenge mission — but his 2023 Australian Open triumph has every detail you’d expect to see in a sickly sweet story of comeuppance.

If the 35-year-old’s 12-month rollercoaster was turned into a Hollywood film, Australia would be playing the villain.

Kyrgios on Sunday night was — like many — left in awe of the Serbian as he returned to the No. 1 ranking on the ATP Tour with a 6-3 7-6 7-6 win over Stefanos Tsitsipas that left him in tears.

Djokovic was famously deported from Australia 12 months ago as a result of breaching Australia’s border rules after ultimately being ruled a “health risk” to the country, putting lives in danger as he remained unvaccinated. The shambolic handling of the case by Australian officials was an international embarrassment.

Of course, it is important to remember the entire scandal could have been avoided if Djokovic had simply accepted the Covid-19 vaccine. The grounds for his deportation remain in every way valid.

However, Djokovic’s triumph on Sunday night means the deportation fiasco is just the first chapter of the story.

The next chapter is his return — and the manner of it.

Novak Djokovic transported to a court hearing in Melbourne. AAP Image/James Ross.

Novak Djokovic looks out of the window of his quarantine hotel. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Naomi Jellicoe

Prominent tennis journalist Christopher Clarey wrote in The New York Times Djokovic’s win

“felt like a full-circle occasion” as he triumphed in the same city where he had been deported.

Despite cementing his legacy of being king of Rod Laver Arena with a 10th Aussie Open crown, Djokovic remains a largely unpopular champion.

The disrupter in the GOAT debate many seemingly wanted to be a two-horse race between Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer.

Here’s a glimpse into the public sentiment.

Novak is an extremely unlikeable character. Insanely GREAT player, but extremely, extremely unlikeable.

— Pete Steinfort (@EJW_Stein) January 29, 2023

You've got to hand it to Djokovic, truly an all-time grate.

— Daniel Cherny (@DanielCherny) January 29, 2023

A string of ugly on-court incidents and, what some would describe, as a demeanour that lacks the grace and sportsmanship of his Big Three colleagues also has plenty to do with it.

Kyrgios’ comments on Sunday night show Australia is getting what it deserves with Djokovic as its supreme tennis overlord.

The Aussie star suggested Djokovic will “get to 28 slams easy”.

Haha I told you. We created a monster. Well done @DjokerNole …. Sat on my couch and enjoyed the entire show 💰🙏🏽 soak it all in….

— Nicholas Kyrgios (@NickKyrgios) January 29, 2023

Kyrgios saw it coming a mile away.

“For the sport, we need him here,” he said 12 months ago after Djokovic had been moved into a detention facility awaiting the outcome of his visa furore.

“I just want it to end. I’m feeling for him now, it’s not really humane what’s going on.”

He went on to say: “If he’s allowed to play the Australian Open, I don’t want any bar of him. I reckon he’s going to be p***ed off.

“He’s going to be very determined to play well and stick it to everyone of what’s going on. And I don’t want any bar of that Novak.”

Novak Djokovic let it all go. Photo by DAVID GRAY / AFP.

The 2022 Wimbledon finalist is far from the only one connecting Djokovic’s 2022 deportation with his return to the top of the sport — displaying a freakish level of tennis at Melbourne Park this week where he cruised to the title having dropped just one set.

Djokovic said after his victory in the final it is one of his most satisfying victories.

He has overcome a widely-debated hamstring injury that coach Goran Ivanisevic said would have stopped “97 per cent” of players competing at the tournament. The coach said Djokovic’s ability to overcome the injury showed Djokovic is “from other space”. Instead, Djokovic was all-but called a liar.

He has also overcome the scandal surrounding his father Srdan posing with Russian demonstrators at Melbourne Park and his father’s absence at Sunday’s final.

His cyborg-like ability to triumph in the face of such adversity is at least in some-way a product of his deportation from Australia. He has happily hinted at it in the past.

“All of a sudden, I became the villain of the world which was obviously a terrible position to be in as an athlete and someone who is looking to thrive in its own direction of life and profession,” he said earlier this month.

“But that’s something that I had to learn how to handle.”

Novak Djokovic and Nick Kyrgios at this month’s charity, exhibition event in Melbourne. Photo by WILLIAM WEST / AFP.

He said after winning his fourth-consecutive Wimbledon title last year that his deportation and the break that followed had allowed him to reach a new space in his tennis.

“The fact that I wasn’t playing for several months at the beginning of last year allowed me to really get together with my team and work on my body, on my strokes, which has later helped me to achieve some great results,” he said at the time.

In spite of it all, Djokovic insists there are no hard feelings. He said before the tournament began: “I don’t hold any grudges. Definitely not against the people of Australia.

“I think me being here proves how much I really want to be here and how much I want to play, and how much I like it.”

He went on to say: “I really hope that the crowd will be receiving me well”.

He is far from the people’s champ. But he is the champ.

Originally published as Nick Kyrgios says Australia ‘created a monster’ in Novak Djokovic