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Published 19:46 IST, September 16th 2020

Nick Kyrgios takes another cheeky dig at 'fellow tennis vegan' Djokovic for US Open fiasco

The modern day 'bad boy' of tennis Nick Kyrgios is in the headlines once again after making a snide comment about World No. 1 Novak Djokovic.

Reported by: Sharmistha More
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The modern-day 'bad boy' of tennis Nick Kyrgios is in the headlines once again after making a snide comment about World No. 1 Novak Djokovic. In an interview with Australian TV presenter Karl Stefanovic, Nick Kyrgios took yet another shot at the Serb, who has been having a rollercoaster year. After starting out the year as the Australian Open champion, Novak Djokovic put together the ill-advised Adria Tour in his hometown in Serbia. The tour did not enforce any social distancing rules and allowed a full capacity audience. It was no surprise then, that multiple players including Djokovic himself tested positive for coronavirus. 

Also Read | Barty Opts Out Of French Open 2020 Title Defense Amid Pandemic

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Nick Kyrgios takes a swipe at Novak Djokovic

After ardently campaigning against the Adria Tour on social media, Nick Kyrgios was one of the biggest critiques of the tour when things went south. After videos leaked showing players dancing together in packed clubs, Kyrgios tweeted that nobody could call him out on anything stupid he did or had ever done because nothing could come close to the irresponsible behaviour of those at the Adria Tour. He followed every announcement of a COVID-19 positive test from the tour with a tweet, including an "oh boy' when Novak Djokovic said he had tested positive. He later called it a 'boneheaded' decision to have organised the tour. Kyrgios, who is no stranger to on-court outbursts, also took a shot at Djokovic's disqualification from the US Open, claiming that he would have received a ban had he done the same thing. 

Also Read | Andy Murray Given Wild Card Into French Open 2020

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Nick Kyrgios also lashed out at the USTA and ATP for organising the US Open before it commenced. He claimed that it was a selfish move considering everything that had been happening in the US at that time. He also retweeted multiple tweets expressing similar sentiments. While Kyrgios chose to pull out of the US Open, most other players participated, and the tournament went on without any major COVID-related incidents.  

Also Read | French Open 2020 Allowing Spectators Amid Virus Resurgence

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'We don't like him': Nick Kyrgios on Djokovic

In his latest interview, Nick Kyrgios answered a question from the host asking him which players should not be allowed at the Australian Open next year, with a cheeky dig at Djokovic. “I mean, we don’t like him, but he brings some crowds.” He has also lashed out at the French Open 2020 organisers after they announced that the tournament will go ahead with spectators in attendance.

Kyrgios has accused the organisers of not taking coronavirus seriously. French Open 2020 will host a maximum of 11,500 fans per day with strict social distancing measures. Kyrgios is most likely to pull out of the Grand Slam after expressing concerns about the rising cases of COVID-19 in France. 

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Also Read | Novak Djokovic Defends Fiery Temper, Says He Can't Rule Out Repeat Of US Open Fiasco

Image Credits: ATP Tour website

19:46 IST, September 16th 2020