“Dinner is on me in NYC” – Will the Djokovic-Kyrgios bromance continue at the US Open?

Current rules do not allow unvaccinated people entry into the United States which means that Kyrgios may have to wait longer for his dinner

Novak Djokovic and Nick Kyrgios before the Wimbledon final in 2022 Image Credit: AI/ Reuters/ Panoramic

Haresh Ramchandani

July 13, 2022

The Novak Djokovic and Nick Kyrgios bromance could well continue at the next Grand Slam – only if the Serb manages to get to New York.

Leading up to the Wimbledon men’s singles final, the relationship between Djokovic and Kyrgios turned from frosty rivals to a publicly acknowledged bromance that was played out on social media.

After battling it out for four sets on Sunday – in Djokovic’s favour – the two went back to social media to continue their new-found bromance.

Once Djokovic posted an update on Instagram with the caption “Until next year”, Kyrgios was quick to respond asking, “Where is my dinner?” – referring to their weekend exchange in which Djokovic said that the winner of their match would buy the other dinner.

The Serb responded to Kyrgios’ dinner request saying, “Sorry, mate. I called all the restaurants in London on Sunday night and there was no tables available. Dinner is on me in New York City.”

🚨 UPDATE 🚨 pic.twitter.com/aHMhAe1max
— Mario Boccardi (@marioboc17) July 12, 2022

“I’d like to play the US Open but if it doesn’t happen, it’s not the end of the world” – Djokovic

The only hitch at the moment is that Djokovic is not currently permitted to enter the United States due to his unvaccinated status. Visitors need to be vaccinated against Covid-19 to enter the U.S. at this point and the Serb has confirmed that he will not get vaccinated to get entry into any tournament – though the entry rules between now and late August, when the U.S. Open is held, could change.

Speaking to the media after his Wimbledon win, Djokovic said he was hoping to receive positive news about playing the US Open but was prepared for the eventuality that he would not be able to.

“At the moment I can’t go to the United States. I’m hoping for positive news, but there’s not a lot of time,” the Serb said. “I don’t know, hope springs eternal. I’d like to play the US Open but if it doesn’t happen, it’s not the end of the world, nor the first Grand Slam I have to withdraw from. It’s important for me to stay healthy, physically and mentally, so I can still play for a long time and the chances to do so will certainly come.”