Nick Kyrgios Stands Firm on His Word Regarding Novak Djokovic’s ‘Unhealthy’ Obsession About Getting Liked

Nick Kyrgios became friends with Novak Djokovic after the Serb's deportation at the Australian Open.

Nick Kyrgios Stands Firm on His Word Regarding Novak Djokovic’s ‘Unhealthy’ Obsession About Getting Liked

Novak Djokovic and Nick Kyrgios (Image via BBC)

Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios has had a complicated relationship with Novak Djokovic. The controversial tennis star initially used to dislike the former World No.1, and even claimed that he had an unhealthy obsession about getting liked the same way as Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

After becoming friends with him, the Guardian reminded Kyrgios about his previous stance on Djokovic. Surprisingly, the 2022 Wimbledon finalist remained firm on his stance and gave his explanation on the matter. He quipped:

Was I wrong to say that? No. He’s much more comfortable in his own skin now. I think he wanted the public to like him, but he likes being the bad guy. He gets energy when people heckle him. He’s the greatest tennis player of all time, so he doesn’t care what people think anymore. We respect each other and we’re proof that different personalities can reach the top and that you don’t have to have everyone like you.

Kyrgios and Djokovic became cold in their relationship in early 2022, when the Serb got deported for his vaccination status at the Australian Open. Kyrgios was the first amongst a minority who supported the Serbian legend and lashed out on the Australian government for their behavior.

The friendship was officially confirmed at the 2022 Wimbledon final, when both exchanged respectful words for each other. Since then, the relationship has been positive and now Kyrgios is a member of Djokovic’s founded PTPA.

Nick Kyrgios withdraws from Wimbledon

Nick Kyrgios has officially withdrawn from the 2025 Wimbledon Championships due to a recurring knee injury. The 30-year-old announced the news on social media on June 2, confirming that his recovery has been disrupted once again. This latest setback ends his hopes of returning during the grass court season, which has traditionally been his strongest.

Nick Kyrgios
Nick Kyrgios (Image via X/Tennis Australia)

Kyrgios, a 2022 Wimbledon finalist, had already pulled out of the 2025 French Open because of the same knee issue. He has also dealt with wrist injuries over the past few years, further limiting his time on court. Last year, he took on a commentary role during Wimbledon instead of competing.

His absence this summer means Kyrgios has played only one Grand Slam match since reaching the 2022 US Open quarter-finals. That appearance came earlier this year at the Australian Open, where he was defeated in the first round by Britain’s Jacob Fearnley. After the match, Kyrgios admitted he couldn’t see himself “realistically playing a singles match” again.

Since late 2022, Kyrgios has appeared in only six matches and has recorded just one win, which came against Mackenzie McDonald at the Miami Masters. Once ranked world No.13, he also won the 2022 Australian Open doubles title with Thanasi Kokkinakis, one of the standout moments of his career.

Novak Djokovic’s grass-court winning percentage compared

Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, and Carlos Alcaraz are among the elite players with the best grass-court win percentages in the Open Era. Only four male players have achieved win rates above 85% on this surface. The rankings are based on ATP Tour matches with a minimum of 20 victories on grass.

Novak Djokovic (2)
Novak Djokovic (Image via X/We Are Tennis France)

Jimmy Connors ranks seventh with a win rate of 83%, having won 185 of 223 matches. His grass-court titles include two at Wimbledon, one each at the US and Australian Opens, and three at Queen’s Club. Pete Sampras comes in sixth with an 83.5% win rate.

He claimed 10 grass titles, including seven at Wimbledon and two at Queen’s. Rod Laver holds the fifth-best record at 84.8%, with eight titles including major wins at Wimbledon, the US Open, and the Australian Open.

In fourth place is John McEnroe with an 85.8% win rate. He won eight titles on grass, three at Wimbledon and four at Queen’s. Novak Djokovic follows closely with a win rate of 85.7%, winning seven Wimbledon titles and another in Eastbourne, plus six runner-up finishes. Grass has been his most successful surface by win percentage.

Federer sits in second place with an 86.9% win rate, the highest of his career across all surfaces. He won a record 19 titles on grass, including 10 at Halle and eight at Wimbledon. Topping the list is Carlos Alcaraz, who holds a 90% win rate on grass after his quarter-final win at Queen’s in 2025. With two Wimbledon titles and one at Queen’s, grass is currently his most dominant surface.

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