Nick Kyrgios has been stirring the pot lately. He’s been making some bold claims about former tennis legends and their potential performance in today’s ATP Tour.
Just last week, he made headlines. He suggested that past greats wouldn’t stand a chance in the current era of tennis.
He used Novak Djokovic as an example. According to Kyrgios, Djokovic would easily dominate against Pete Sampras.
Kyrgios didn’t stop there. He compared the speed of today’s first serves to the slower serves of the past.
But, he missed something. He didn’t consider the superior equipment players have access to these days.
Boris Becker didn’t take Kyrgios’ comments lightly. He swiftly responded, expressing his displeasure.
The back-and-forth didn’t end there. Kyrgios fired back, and the two have since been trading barbs on social media.
Enter Yevgeny Kafelnikov. The former world no. 1 and two-time Grand Slam champion joined the conversation.
Kafelnikov’s argument was similar to Becker’s. He claimed that Kyrgios lacks credibility, given he hasn’t won a singles Grand Slam title.
Kyrgios, who won the 2022 Australian Open in doubles with Thanasi Kokkinakis, was quick to respond. He called the Russian a “potato”.
The 28-year-old didn’t appreciate being told he has no credibility. He brought up Andrey Rublev, Kafelnikov’s compatriot, questioning if he also lacks credibility since he hasn’t won a singles major.
Takeaways
‣ Nick Kyrgios recently argued that former tennis legends would struggle in today’s ATP Tour, using the speed of the first serve as an example of how the game has evolved.
‣ Kyrgios’ comments sparked a backlash from former world no. 1 players Boris Becker and Yevgeny Kafelnikov, who argued that Kyrgios lacks credibility as he hasn’t won a singles Grand Slam title.
‣ The debate has continued on social media, with Kyrgios defending his position and using other players, such as Andrey Rublev, as examples to support his argument.