“It’s great to see him back and playing well” – Djokovic on Kyrgios

The Serbian teased another doubles appearance with Kyrgios later this year

AI/Reuters/Panoramic

March 21, 2025

Tennis great Novak Djokovic is pleased to see Nick Kyrgios back on the ATP Tour after the Australian won his first match in two-and-a-half years on Wednesday at the Miami Open.

“I saw him today in the locker room, in his sleeveless basketball jersey,” Djokovic said. “I don’t think he’s ever worn a tennis shirt, I’ve never seen him with a tennis gear on.

“I congratulated him, I was glad for him because he’s had injuries and he was absent from the Tour, we know all the struggles. I think it’s his first win in a couple of years, so it’s great to see him back and playing well.

“I don’t think that’s ever an issue, the quality of tennis he has it in his hands. It’s just a matter of him being healthy, staying healthy and injury-free.”

Djokovic’s attempt to help Kyrgios stay injury-free

The Serbian even explained that earlier in the season, when he and Kyrgios competed together at the Brisbane International, he had tried giving the 29-year-old health advice.

“I tried, when we played doubles in Brisbane earlier this year, to kind of draw him into some of my warm-up, cool-down routines,” he explained. “Every time he would see me before the match, before we would actually go to warm up on court for the match, I’d spend like an hour in the gym, do my own thing and warm up every muscle in my body.

“I would just try to chase him down and bring him over. He would be running away from me, commenting you know, that’s not for him. That’s maybe part of the reason why he’s been injured so much. I really do wish that he stays injury-free.”

Djokovic even alluded to taking the court again with Kyrgios, hinting that he would like to compete in doubles with the Aussie later this year.

“I do really wish that we play another time [in] doubles,” he said.

“Later on this year we have a tournament in Belgrade, I’m planning to play it. I don’t know if he’s planning to come, so maybe, yeah, maybe we should slam it there.”

Djokovic takes on Rinky Hijikata in his opening match at the Miami Open on Friday, while Kyrgios also plays his second-round match against No 22 seed Karen Khachanov.