Nick Kyrgios had all the talent in the world. According to Novak Djokovic, that alone should have been enough to make him a consistent top 10 player. Instead, the Australian sits sidelined by injuries, having played just five singles matches in 2025 with a disappointing 1-4 record. What went wrong for one of tennis’s most gifted but polarizing figures?
Why Does Novak Djokovic Believe Nick Kyrgios Could Have Done ‘Incredible Things’ in Tennis?
Twenty-four-time major champion Novak Djokovic believes that his good friend Nick Kyrgios had the goods to become a top-10 player “easily” but was stopped in his tracks due to a lack of discipline.
The 30-year-old Australian, who competed against Djokovic in the 2022 Wimbledon final, has been sidelined by injuries since 2023 and has struggled to make a return to tour despite several attempts to do so.
Djokovic, who faced Kyrgios in his only major final, has explained why he thinks the Aussie has underperformed in tennis.
“He has so much talent and potential, he could have done incredible things, but neglecting his body brought him where he is,” Djokovic was quoted as saying by ‘Clay.’
Kyrgios, who was once ranked as high as No. 13 globally, has undergone wrist and knee operations in recent seasons. The Serb continued, “Unfortunately, he didn’t have the discipline that was required, but if he had 30 percent – and he has five percent – he’d be Top 10 easily.”
Despite the harsh assessment, Djokovic pointed to Kyrgios’s spectacular performances at Wimbledon 2022, where he reached his first major final as an underdog, as evidence that he could trouble the very best players.
“He played a Wimbledon final without warm-up, without serious training, without a coach, and beat all of us at the top,” Djokovic said of that performance.
The relationship between these two players has evolved dramatically over the years. Despite initial animosity, Djokovic has maintained a great relationship with Kyrgios ever since he defended him during his deportation saga at the 2022 Australian Open.
Djokovic added, “I hope he can finish his career on the court. It would be a shame if injuries prevented him from playing at least a few more big tournaments.”
What Has Novak Djokovic Said About Nick Kyrgios’s ‘Battle of the Sexes’ Match Against Aryna Sabalenka?
Meanwhile, Kyrgios is set to face Aryna Sabalenka, the top-ranked women’s player in the world, in a “battle of the sexes” match that has captured the tennis world’s attention.
“I saw him talking with Bublik about playing a match against (Aryna) Sabalenka, a ‘Battle of the Sexes’ like Billie Jean King back in the day. That would be very interesting if it happens,” the Serbian explained.
Discussions have occurred about the event, although a date and venue have not been decided. Kyrgios has spoken confidently about beating Sabalenka in the planned match.
He told Alexander Bublik in a recent interview, “She’s not gonna beat me, I’m gonna try; I’ll be representing you, the men’s side. I’d say (with a scoreline of) like 6-2 maybe.”
Kyrgios on upcoming Battle of the Sexes match against Aryna Sabalenka
Bublik: “Are you gonna try?”
Nick. “She’s not gonna beat me. Do you really think I have to try 100%? I’m gonna try. Because I’m representing the men’s side… I’d say like 6-2 maybe”
pic.twitter.com/DaLoSpCuJF
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) September 2, 2025
Sabalenka has admitted that she is keen to face Kyrgios during this unique encounter. “I think it’s a cool idea and will be spectacular to watch. It’s going to be fun, especially against someone like Nick,” she said after reaching the US Open final.
The world No. 1 didn’t back down from Kyrgios’s prediction either. “Like he said in another interview, I genuinely think that I’m going to win and I’ll definitely go out there and I’ll try my best to kick his ass.”
Sabalenka will play Amanda Anisimova for her fourth Grand Slam tournament and second final this year.
