Nick Kyrgios discussed his previous comments about Novak Djokovic and his “sick obsession” with being popular among fans during an interview with Piers Morgan. Kyrgios referenced Djokovic’s career-long struggle to carve out his identity amidst the dominant rivalry of Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, which often left Djokovic as an outsider.
The former Wimbledon runner-up mentioned that Djokovic enjoys being the ‘antihero’ and no longer cares about fans’ opinions. Kyrgios, who had a tumultuous relationship with Djokovic initially, has grown closer to the 24-time Grand Slam champion over the past two years. He now frequently praises Djokovic.
Both Kyrgios and Djokovic share a similar dynamic with the public, being both loved and disliked by many. Kyrgios acknowledged that he has grown indifferent to fans’ opinions and believes Djokovic has similarly embraced his role as a polarizing figure in tennis.
“Now I feel like he’s listened to that and now he actually embraces being the villain. He’s a bit of an anti-hero in the tennis world. He’s got a lot of people who love him and also don’t like him and he’s embraced that.”
Djokovic made a near-miraculous recovery from a knee injury sustained three weeks ago during the French Open, where he had to withdraw before the quarterfinals against Casper Ruud. The world No. 2 successfully debuted in the first round of Wimbledon, conceding only four games in his victory over Czech player Viktor Kopriva.