Djokovic: “We need Kyrgios on the tour”

After their 2022 Wimbledon showdown, Novak Djokovic and Nick Kyrgios began a bit of a bromance, sharing on social media their dinner plans and intentions to hang out.

And the Australian – on television duties for this Wimbledon while absent from the court through injury – has been a practice partner for the second seed as the men’s final draws nearer.

Djokovic told the press that he hopes Kyrgios’s return to action will be soon.

“I can tell you, a few days ago when we practised…he hit a really good serve, and he said, ‘Well, I
might come back at the US Open.’ So I don’t know if he was joking about it or not. But let me tell you, he’s hitting the ball as good as ever really.

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“He’s so talented. He’s so good with his tennis. I think he said that the wrist bothers him mostly with the serve, but he’s been increasing the load and the intensity and the speed. He’s not going for full pace or full-strength serve, but he’s close to that. He’s close to that.

“He’s very positive. It’s nice to see him full of life, full of energy. Like, he’s really pumped to be here in Wimbledon enjoying our practice sessions and commentating. He’s an extremely important guy for our sport. I think he brings new fans. He’s been doing a terrific job actually staying in tennis
with his podcast and everything that he’s been doing, interviewing Mike Tyson and some very interesting personalities from different industries.

“Yeah, it’s a little bit of a bromance that we are having in last few years, considering we really didn’t like each other at all for many years. But now we are getting along very well. He was very nice also to my kids. He played with them.”

Djokovic: Kyrgios’s return is near

But Djokovic also had some more cautious words, as someone who knows very well the dangers of pushing oneself physically before full recovery.

“Yeah, I think that the return is near, but it’s hard to say really because one thing is really practising for like an hour or two, but completely something different when you are out there on the tour playing in a tournament where you have to come back every single day maybe for four, five, six days in a row. I guess he will also not know if his wrist will react well until he actually plays a tournament.

“So, yeah, I hope he can come back personally, and I think everyone in tennis hopes he can come back quickly because we definitely need him on the tour.”

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