Tennis
Nick Kyrgios got the better of Novak Djokovic in a charity match ahead of the Australian Open; the two renewed their rivalry following the 2022 Wimbledon final which saw Djokovic lift his 21st Grand Slam title
Friday 13 January 2023 17:56, UK
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Nick Kyrgios has revealed he would “100 per cent” retire immediately if he was to win his first Grand Slam.
Kyrgios, who lost to Novak Djokovic in the Wimbledon final in 2022, was speaking after the Serbian received a rapturous welcome back to Melbourne Park in a sell-out practice match against the local favourite, who won the exhibition contest, just days before the start of the Australian Open.
Kyrgios, who opens his campaign against Roman Safiullin on Tuesday, told a packed Rod Laver Arena: “I’d 100 per cent retire if I won one Grand Slam. It’s a lot of training, it’s a lot of work and I just want to be able to eat whatever I want, drink whatever I want to drink and then just relax.
“It’s a hard lifestyle. The dedication that these guys show day in, day out, I did a bit of that last year. I had a great year to show the world that I’m still one of the best but I’m going to try and do it this year and hopefully I can do it. It will be hard.”
All of the cut-price tickets costing 20 Australian dollars (approximately £11) sold out within an hour of going on sale and any fears Djokovic may have had about the reception he would receive following last year’s deportation would have dissipated when he saw the number of Serbian flags in the crowd.
Speaking after walking on court, the nine-time champion said: “I’m very happy. Thank you so much. I feel a bit emotional. I was looking forward to coming back to this court.”
As well as the emotions of returning to Melbourne, Djokovic has been battling a left hamstring injury and wore tape on his leg, while Kyrgios pulled out of representing Australia at the United Cup because of his own leg issue.
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However this was not an encounter to test either man’s fitness, with the light-hearted contest seeing Djokovic dancing on court before the two men were joined for the final tie-break by wheelchair stars David Wagner and Heath Davidson alongside two junior players.
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Djokovic and Kyrgios both wore microphones and played to the crowd, who lapped up their antics.
Djokovic, who opens his Australian Open campaign against Roberto Carballes Baena said afterwards: “It just feels great to be back in Australia, back in Melbourne. This is the court where I created the best memories of my tennis career.”
Kyrgios was one of the few players to stand up for Djokovic last year in the row over his vaccination status, thawing what had been a frosty relationship.
“It’s just so important to have him around,” said Kyrgios. “I don’t think we knew how special these guys are to our sport.”
Both men, who could meet on the same court in the quarter-finals, begin their campaigns in Melbourne on Tuesday.
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