Nick Kyrgios ready to play doubles with Novak Djokovic, but not as first priority-partner

Nick Kyrgios remained loyal to his best friend Thanasi Kokkinakis when recently asked about the possibility of teaming up with Novak Djokovic next year. Kyrgios and Kokkinakis first crossed paths over 15 years ago as juniors and have maintained a strong bond ever since.

Their friendship evolved from two young Australian boys dreaming of Grand Slam success to winning the 2022 Australian Open doubles title together. The duo was awarded a wildcard and stunned the tennis world by reaching the final where they overcame fellow Australians Matthew Ebden and Max Purcell.

During a recent Instagram Q&A with fans, Kyrgios was put on the spot about potentially partnering with Djokovic next season, but he stood by his loyalty to Kokkinakis.

"Next year doubles with Novak?" a fan asked.

While he did not rule out the possibility, he reaffirmed that his best mate and compatriot Kokkinakis would be his first choice.

"Kokki will get first priority but I am down," he quipped.

Nick Kyrgios answers a fan question about playing alongside Novak Djokovic next year (Picture: Getty)

Kyrgios and Djokovic have never met each other on the doubles court in professional tennis. They've faced off thrice in singles competition, with the Australian holding a 2-1 edge.

Kyrgios also hinted last week at possibly having wanted to have partnered with Roger Federer. He shared an image of them from their 2017 Miami epic with a caption that read:

"Tag someone you’d wanna play doubles with - past or present."

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Naomi Osaka and Stefanos Tsitsipas among Nick Kyrgios' most high-profile doubles partners

Nick Kyrgios at The Championships - Wimbledon 2023 (Source: Getty)

Nick Kyrgios returned to the court after nearly two years at the US Open earlier this year, teaming up with four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka for a mixed doubles exhibition during Fan Week at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

The pair played their part wearing Kobe Bryant’s iconic yellow and black Lakers jerseys with the number 24 and competed alongside Amanda Anisimova and Taylor Fritz, Paula Badosa and Stefanos Tsitsipas, and Coco Gauff and Ben Shelton.

Despite the excitement surrounding Kyrgios' comeback, he and Osaka were defeated 6-2 in the semifinals by Anisimova and Fritz.

Kyrgios' most famous partner on the professional circuit was arguably Tsitsipas. They previously teamed up twice in 2019, facing the Colombian duo of Robert Farah and Juan Sebastian Cabal on both occasions in Washington and Cincinnati respectively. They lost in three sets on the first occasion and in straight sets on the second.

Other notable players he's played alongside include Jack Sock, John Isner, and Frances Tiafoe, all of whom he's played beside at various editions of the Laver Cup.