"Novak Djokovic, my dear" - Nick Kyrgios jokingly extends greetings to Serb on Valentine's Day after being shipped together

Nick Kyrgios recently made quite the comment as he reacted to being shipped with Novak Djokovic in a hilarious compilation by Tennis Channel.

Kyrgios has been on the sidelines since last July due to a wrist injury, which forced him out of this year's Australian Open. The 28-year-old also had a run-in with a serious knee injury at the beginning of 2023. He missed all four Major tournaments last year and hasn't disclosed a definitive return date yet.

During his time away from pro tennis, the Aussie kept his fans entertained with his social media activities. On Wednesday (February 14), he took to his Instagram stories to repost Tennis Channel's compilation, titled "Tennis Duos that we love", on the occasion of Valentine's Day.

The short video featured Novak Djokovic and Nick Kyrgios, married couple Elina Svitolina and Gael Monfils, the BFF pair Aryna Sabalenka and Paula Badosa, and, funnily enough, mortal enemies Daniil Medvedev and Stefanos Tsitsipas.

Kyrgios was thoroughly entertained by the compilation and took to his Instagram to share the video with the caption:

"Hahahah @djokernole happy valentines my dear."

Nick Kyrgios' Instagram story

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Novak Djokovic and Nick Kyrgios had a troubled relationship before 2022

Novak Djokovic and Nick Kyrgios have been thick as thieves lately. At last month's Australian Open, the Aussie participated in a good-spirited interview with the Serb, where he answered the 24-time Major winner's questions. That being the case, the two players weren't always this close.

Djokovic and Kyrgios first met on the court in 2017, when the latter beat the Serb in straight sets in the Mexican Open quarterfinals. He would repeat the feat a few weeks later in Indian Wells.

While they didn't meet again in the next four years, the mercurial Aussie stirred controversy with his comments about Djokovic's 2020 Adria Tour — which became a COVID-19 super-spreader in Belgrade.

"Boneheaded decision to go ahead with the exhibition. That's what happens when you disregard all protocols. This is not a joke," Kyrgios wrote on his X (formerly Twitter) account in 2020.

Kyrgios, however, had seemingly warmed up to the 24-time Major winner by 2022, defending him during his COVID-19 medical exemption scandal.

"I'm not siding with him, the guy's a human and I just want him to be treated like one. We wouldn't expect a 20-time Grand Slam champion to be treated like this, no we wouldn't," Nick Kyrgios said on the No Boundaries Podcast in 2022. "He's done a lot, when we had the bushfires, he was supporting us. When we needed help, he came and helped us. We're treating him like he's never done anything, he's a villain, which he's actually not."

The Aussie's change of heart was well-received by Djokovic, who shared good camaraderie with the former in the aftermath of their 2022 Wimbledon final. He even promised to have dinner with Kyrgios during the US Open fortnight. Unfortunately, their plans for New York dinner didn't materialize as the Serb wasn't allowed in the country due to its COVID-19 protocols.