Tennis: “How dare he fill the stadium?”… Kyrgios taunts his detractors ahead of an exhibition against Djokovic

A year earlier, Novak Djokovic was locked in a hotel in Melbourne. Three days before the 2023 Australian Open, he will play an exhibition match in front of a packed stadium this Friday. Facing him? Nick Kyrgios, sulphurous Australian player. Going on sale on Tuesday, tickets sold out exactly 58 minutes later. However, to attend this training match between two players, which has caused a lot of controversy lately, one had to pay $20.

Kyrgios did not fail to point out the irony of the situation, tickling his detractors and adherents of the tennis circle. “Nick Kyrgios is a bad influence on the sport! Wow, what a shame, a national shame! How dare he fill the stadium, what a brazen one,” he tweeted, probably with a smirk.

After losing to Jocko in the Wimbledon final last year, the 27-year-old right-hander signed his most consistent season last year. But his whims, his challenges or rants about his clan in the middle of a match continue to cast a shadow on his image.

Smooth, Djokovic is not like that either. The former world No. 1 was banned from the Australian Open last year for refusing to be vaccinated. His medical release, secured by a positive Covid-19 test, did not convince Australian authorities. He was held in a migrant detention center before being expelled from Oceania.

So this year, Tennis Australia took advantage of the aura of the Joker and Kyrgios and included them in the list of participants in this charity event. Proceeds from the match and other paid practice matches will be donated to the Australian Tennis Federation Foundation, according to journalist Ben Rothenberg.