Nick Kyrgios identifies Novak Djokovic's only weakness at Australian Open - 'Let's put that clear'

Nick Kyrgios identifies Novak Djokovic's only weakness at Australian Open - 'Let's put that clear'

WATCH NOW: Sports round-up as Novak Djokovic competes at the Australian Open

Lewis Winter

By Lewis Winter


Published: 19/01/2024

- 08:58

The Aussie has identified an area opponents can target in Djokovic's game

Nick Kyrgios has revealed what he thinks is Novak Djokovic's only weakness as he goes in search of his 11th Australian Open title.

The Australian is on punditry duty in Melbourne as he continues his recovery from ongoing injury problems.


Djokovic was in third-round action against Andy Murray's conqueror Tomas Martin Etcheverry on Friday.

Ahead of the match, Kyrgios was asked how the Argentine can cause the 24-time Grand Slam winner problems.

Novak Djokovic

Nick Kyrgios has identified Novak Djokovic's only weakness

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He identified Djokovic's overhead smash as the only area of vulnerability in his game.

Kyrgios said on Eurosport: "I mean, well his weakness is his overhead. Let's just put that clear.

"And if my weakness was my overhead smash, I'd be pretty happy with that."

Djokovic beat Dino Prizmic and Alexei Popyrin to progress to the third round.

Kyrgios claimed Etcheverry could copy Popyrin's approach in an attempt to trouble the 36-year-old.

He added: [Etcheverry] needs to have a great serving day, he needs to be aggressive wherever possible.

"I think a great thing that Alexei Popyrin was able to do was come forward and mix in the slice.

"He mixed in the slice very well, got some errors off Novak's forehand wing.

"Depending on how his wrist is feeling, I would keep trying to go to that, a slice mid-court, make Novak accelerate.

"He's got to play the game of his life, like everyone does."

Kyrgios and Djokovic have not always seen eye-to-eye.

However, Djokovic credited the 28-year-old for sticking by him when he was deported from Australia in 2022, which has seen a friendship form.

He said: "I wasn’t his favourite guy – let’s take it that way – for many years.

"But he was one of the very few that stood by me last year, and I respect that and appreciate that.

"In those moments you can see who truly supports you and who is by your side and who goes with the flow of society and the pressures that media puts on you.

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Novak Djokovic and Nick Kyrgios

Novak Djokovic and Nick Kyrgios have become close friends

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"He was giving undivided support in the moments where I was being challenged a lot, and him as an Australian, I respected that a lot.

"Since then, our relationship has changed for the better."

Kyrgios revealed recently that he is in regular contact with Djokovic.

He said: "We had a rocky relationship at the start and there were a couple of things changed.

Novak Djokovic

Novak Djokovic was back in action on Friday at the Australian Open

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"Now we literally speak every day with him I’ve had some crazy messages.

"We send memes to each other. He hit an unbelievable volley the other day and I said to him where did you get these hands from? You didn’t have them against me at Wimbledon!

"Then he responded; oh I got them from you!"

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