Nick Kyrgios agrees with Richard Gasquet that Novak Djokovic is doing something extraordinary but doesn’t agree with the Michael Jordan comparison, instead naming the Serb as “the LeBron James of tennis.”
Gasquet, who is 37 and pretty much from the same generation as 36-year-old Djokovic, acknowledged in a recent interview that there is nothing strange in seeing a player start to drop in performance in mid-thirties. While making that statement, Gasquet noted that he is not counting the likes of Djokovic, Jordan and Lionel Messi are just something different.
“One has to become less good, apart from Djokovic, who wins Grand Slams at almost 37 years old,” Gasquet told L’Equipe.
“Have we ever experienced this in sport, apart from perhaps Jordan?
“[Lionel] Messi plays in Miami, the others in Saudi Arabia, he is world No. 1… I can’t explain how a guy like that is so strong at that age.
“At 37-38 years old, normally you are not as good as at 25. I never thought I’d be playing the year I turned 38. Unimaginable.”
Novak Djokovic and Richard Gasquet© Getty Images Sport – Sarah Stier
Kyrgios: Djokovic is the LeBron James of tennis
Responding to Gasquet’s comments, Kyrgios wrote on Instagram: “No, he is LeBron. LeBron is still doing this at 40. Jordan stopped a lot earlier and wasn’t as dominant.”
Nick Kyrgios and Novak Djokovic© Getty Images Sport – Kelly Defina
Last year, Djokovic had one of the most successful seasons of his career, winning three Grand Slams in his four Slam finals. Now, Djokovic owns the all-time record of 24 Grand Slams. Also last year, Djokovic set a new record for the most weeks spent at the world No. 1 spot by a man or woman.
At the start of this season, Djokovic fell just short of making his sixth consecutive Grand Slam final after losing to Jannik Sinner in the Australian Open semifinal. After beating Djokovic, 22-year-old Sinner also handled the business against Daniil Medvedev to lift his maiden Grand Slam title.
Djokovic’s Australian Open loss and Sinner’s triumph have since led to some claiming that the Serb is “done” and that a new era is about to start in tennis. Djokovic has certainly heard all of the talk and there is no doubt that he will be very determined to prove his doubters wrong in the remainder of the year.
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