Nick Kyrgios has continued expressing his admiration for Novak Djokovic, recently likening the Serb's longevity to that of LeBron James.
On Wednesday, February 7, Eurosport compared Djokovic to former NBA superstar Michael Jordan on Instagram, drawing parallels between the longevity of the two in their respective sports. A few hours later Nick Kyrgios commented on the post, likening Djokovic to LeBron James instead.
Kyrgios claimed that LeBron is still outstanding at 40, whereas Michael Jordan stopped playing much earlier and wasn't as dominant in the twilight of his career.
“No. He is Lebron. Lebron is still doing this at 40. Jordan stopped a lot earlier. And wasn't as dominant,” Kyrgios said.
Richard Gasquet also responded to the post, claiming that Djokovic is an exception to the general trend of players becoming less proficient over time. Gasquet agreed with the comparison to NBA legend Michael Jordan, writing:
"One has to become less good, apart from Djokovic, who wins Grand Slams at almost 37 years old. Have we ever experienced this in sport, apart from perhaps Jordan?"
Michael Jordan, a six-time NBA Champion and NBA Finals MVP, retired in 2003 at the age of 40, almost two decades after his debut.
LeBron James, on the other hand, is 39 and still active in the NBA. James is a four-time NBA Champion and NBA Finals MVP.
Novak Djokovic is set to turn 37 in May. In 2023, he clinched the Australian Open, French Open, and US Open titles. Djokovic also reached the 2023 Wimbledon Championships final but was defeated by Carlos Alcaraz.
The Serbian star is currently tied on the all-time list with Margaret Court, at 24 Grand Slam singles titles. Djokovic's bid to extend his tally to 25 was thwarted by Jannik Sinner in the semifinal of the 2024 Australian Open, with the Italian eventually going on to win the Major.
Serena Williams' former coach Rick Macci believes Novak Djokovic will still be at "many more Grand Slam Championship ceremonies”
Serena Williams' ex-coach, Rick Macci, recently claimed on X (formerly Twitter) that Djokovic will continue to feature in Grand Slam finals.
Djokovic reached the semifinal of the Australian Open last month, losing to eventual champion Jannik Sinner 1-6, 2-6, 7-6 (6), 3-6. The manner of his loss - the Serb failed to get a single break point all match - prompted some in the tennis world to raise questions about his future.
But Macci, who has always been a firm supporter of Djokovic, stated that the 36-year-old is not going anywhere but to" Grand Slam championship ceremonies."
@DjokerNole is not going Anywhere Except to many more Grand Slam Championship Ceremonies," Macci wrote.
How did Novak Djokovic meet Jelena Ristic? All about the most admired couples in tennis