Nick Kyrgios yesterday renewed his running feud with Novak Djokovic when he mocked the men’s singles world No. 1 with a grand entrance to an empty Margaret Court Arena for his men’s doubles match.
Before his match with doubles partner Thanasi Kokkinakis, the Australian imitated the way Djokovic celebrates victories with extravagant gestures to all four corners of a stadium.
“Just feeling the love,” the maverick Australian, knocked out of the singles by Dominic Thiem on Friday night, said when asked to explain his entrance.
“Just trying to spread the good word of the celebration,” he said. “Everyone loves that celebration. It’s well liked.”
Kyrgios described Djokovic as a “tool” for requesting better conditions for players during their 14-day quarantine ahead of the tournament, doubling down on his criticism of the Serbian’s ill-fated Adria Tour early in the COVID-19 pandemic.
Djokovic last week returned fire by saying that he did not “have much respect” for the Australian off the tennis court.
Kokkinakis said that there had been nothing malicious in the gestures, just the doubles partners trying to generate some energy in a stadium devoid of fans because of the five-day COVID-19 lockdown in Melbourne.
Kyrgios agreed, but could not resist directing another barb at the 17-time Grand Slam champion.
“We’re just having some fun,” he said. “Novak, I’m sure, doesn’t like me and we both have respect for each other, but I don’t like him at all, so it’s fun.”
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