By Richard Pagliaro | Sunday, July 10, 2022
Once bitter rivals, Novak Djokovic and Nick Kyrgios staged beautiful reunion on Centre Court.
In a blockbuster that lived up to its buzz, defending champion Djokovic defused dangerous Kyrgios 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6(3) to capture his seventh Wimbledon crown and 21st Grand Slam championship.
More: Djokovic Conquers Kyrgios for Seventh Wimbledon Championship
Afterward, the former acrimonious rivals came together at net in a show of mutual shared respect.
The 27-year-old Kyrgios who had previously ripped Djokovic as fake prone to "a cringeworthy" post-match celebration, praised the seven-time Wimbledon winner afterward.
"He’s a bit of a god," Kyrgios told Centre Court fans of Djokovic. "I’m not gonna lie, I thought I played well. First of all I want to congratulate Novak and his team."
Despite taking public shots at Djokovic over the years, Kyrgios supported the former world No. 1 in his visa battle against Australian authorities in January and said he's always respected the Serbian as a player.
"I mean, me and Novak actually practiced with each other a lot earlier in my career," Kyrgios said. "Practiced in Rome, Toronto. Then obviously we butted heads a little bit. But as a tennis player, I always respected him, what he was able to do.
"Then I feel like when I stood up for him, he was surprised. Ever since then I feel like when the chips are down and someone comes out -- what I did was not easy. I kind of went against my whole nation basically and spoke out about it.
"I feel like that's an underlying. No matter how much you don't like someone or how different they are, if they're going to take arrows in the back for you in the public, then you've got to have ultimate respect for them."
Though Djokovic had been on the receiving end of Kyrgios verbal volleys in the past, the former world No. 1 showed pure class during the trophy presentation paying tribute to Kyrgios as "a phenomenal tennis player" and joked of their once stormy relationship "okay, it's officially a bromance."
"Absolutely, Nick, you’ll be back not just Wimbledon, but in the finals," Djokovic told Kyrgios. "I know it’s tough 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 wish you all the best. I really respect you a lot [as] a phenomenal tennis player, athlete and amazing talent. Now everything is starting to come together, I’m sure we’re gonna see you in the later stages of a Slam.
"I never though I’m gonna say so many nice things about you considering the relationship. Okay it’s officially a bromance. Hopefully this is the start of a wonderful relationship between the two of us off the court as well."
Healing in a once fractured relationship began at the Australian Open in January when Kyrgios publicly showed support of Djokovic, who was deported from Australia after his visa was cancelled for a second time.
After his Australian Open opening-round sweep of British qualifier Liam Broady, Kyrgios continued his budding "bromance" Djokovic saying he will ask the Serbian superstar to join forces in doubles someday.
Those comments came after Kyrgios expressed his support for Djokovic during his controversial four-day detention at a Melbourne hotel.
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"Obviously me and Novak have had some, I guess, differences in the past," Kyrgios told the media in Melbourne. "But, I mean, whether it was Novak or someone else, I would have done the same thing.
"I didn't do it because he was Serbian. If it was another player in that scenario, I would have stood up for what I think was right. I think it was just coincidentally it was Novak, and, you know, it was quite a story.
"But yeah, we got a bit of a bromance going on now. Not that I'm complaining. I think I'm going to ask him to play doubles somewhere."
Photo credit: Getty