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Nick Kyrgios declared Novak Djokovic "the undisputed GOAT" and jokingly added it would have been nice if the Serb had allowed him to win Wimbledon. Last year, Djokovic recovered from a set down to beat Kyrgios in a high-quality Wimbledon final 4-6 6-3 6-4 7-6 (3) and clinch his 21st Grand Slam title at the time.
Since then, Djokovic has won three more Grand Slams and become the first male player ever with 24 Majors in his pocket. "Novak Djokovic, undisputed GOAT in my opinion. What a player. Could’ve given me that Wimbledon final, would’ve been nice," Kyrgios said of Djokovic in Tennis Channel's Hall of Champs area.
lights, camera, @NickKyrgios 🎥👏 pic.twitter.com/Efdv8zMyPn — Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) November 17, 2023
What Djokovic told Kyrgios after the 2022 Wimbledon final?
Kyrgios, who was 27 at the time, was playing in his first Wimbledon final.
Kyrgios won the first set and kept playing at a very high level for the remainder of the final. But somehow, Djokovic still found a way to beat a very-inspired Kyrgios. Afterward, Djokovic told Kyrgios during the on-court trophy presentation that he would certainly have more great and deep Slam runs.
"Nick, you will be back. I know it is tough and to find consolation words after a tough loss like this, but you showed why you deserved to be one of the best players in the world, particularly on this surface. I think you are a phenomenal tennis player and athlete.
Amazing talent. You have been hearing all of that for many years. But now everything is starting to come together for you. So I'm sure we are going to see much of you in the later stages of a grand slam. And I never thought I am going say so many nice things about you considering, but it's officially a bromance.
Hopefully, this is the start of a wonderful relationship between the two of us," Djokovic told Kyrgios at the time.