By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Thursday October 5, 2023
Nick Kyrgios spent some high quality time this summer season with boxing icon Mike Tyson on the Hotboxin’ with Mike Tyson podcast and opened up about a number of subjects from tennis, to tattoos, to basketball, to his love for Australia and Pokemon. Within the 45-minute episode, which was filmed and recorded previous to this yr’s US Open, Kyrgios additionally talked about tennis’ Large 3 and handed bragging rights to Novak Djokovic.
“I believe he [Djokovic] is the very best ever,” stated Kyrgios of the Serbian, previous to this yr’s US Open. “[23] Grand Slams (Djokovic now has 24) and I believe he’s obtained a pair extra in him as nicely, it’s loopy. I don’t assume he will get the credit score he deserves sufficient. He’s nearly been on tour for like 20 years as nicely, just like the longevity.”
Kyrgios stated that the 36-year-old is the very best, however added that 20-time Slam champion Roger Federer was essentially the most difficult to face.
“Federer may make you are feeling actually like s***. Regardless of the place you performed him on the earth, he was the fan favorite,” the 2022 Wimbledon finalist stated. “Performed him in Europe, America, Australia. Everybody wished Federer to win on a regular basis.
“I believe Novak is the best of all time, however for me, Federer was the toughest to play. One thing about him. He was actually aggressive and didn’t offer you a lot room to breathe.”
Lacking Tennis and Planning to Be Again
Kyrgios has struggled with accidents, psychological well being and motivation at occasions over time. However he’s clear and assured in the truth that he needs to return to the game and take a crack at profitable one other Grand Slam.
After present process knee surgical procedure earlier this yr, Kyrgios is presently recovering from a wrist damage.
“Simply attempting to have the ability to get again as quickly as doable as a result of I do miss taking part in and particularly being so near profitable final yr [at Wimbledon], I do know I am proper there,” he stated.
For the Followers
Kyrgios isn’t simply motivated for himself. He additionally needs to attain success for his ever rising fan base.
He advised Tyson that followers flock to him as a result of he’s relatable. He’s an actual particular person with faults and all.
“I really feel like I had actually relatable issues the place I really feel like now like wherever I’m going I do know I am taking part in for lots of people, which is cool as a result of Federer, Nadal and Djokovic, they’re like they don’t seem to be reachable for lots of people. They take a look at them and so they’re like ‘these guys are usually not regular.’”
And Kyrgios, who has been with no coach for many of his profession, says he has no plans to alter that. Right here’s how he defined it:
“Once I beat the very best on the earth at such a younger age I felt like each time I had a coach after that, they weren’t actually serving to me, it was extra like they had been telling me issues I did not need to do or telling me issues I did not assume actually labored.”