"What a pathetic clown";"The Donald Trump of tennis" - Fans ridicule Nick Kyrgios over 'higher tennis IQ than Federer, Nadal & Djokovic' claim

Nick Kyrgios recently claimed that he possessed a "higher tennis IQ" compared to Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray. But the Australian's bold take has backfired, with several tennis fans online ridiculing him over it.

Kyrgios, a talented but temperamental player, has occasionally impressed on the ATP Tours over the years with his crafty and entertaining style of play. The Aussie though, has not been able to crack the top 10 of the ATP Tour rankings, nor has he managed to win a single Grand Slam or Masters 1000 title.

The closest Nick Kyrgios came to snapping his singles Grand Slam duck was at the 2022 Wimbledon Championships, where he reached the final following Rafael Nadal's withdrawal from their semifinal showdown with injury. While he did take a set off Novak Djokovic in the final, the Australian ultimately had to settle for second-best.

Recently, Kyrgios featured as a guest on the Let's Trot Show. During his appearance on the show, the former World No. 13 hyped up his "tennis IQ" and rated it higher than that of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray.

"I have played against Djokovic, Federer, Nadal and Murray. I have a higher tennis IQ than them. I don't know if anyone in the history of tennis has reached the Wimbledon final without a coach. So, when it comes to IQ, I would choose myself," Nick Kyrgios said.

Most fans slammed the Australian over his remarks, with several revisiting his journey to the 2022 Wimbledon final. One even mentioned how Djokovic reached the Wimbledon final earlier this year without a full-time coach, and having undergone a knee surgery in the buildup to the prestigious grasscourt Major.

"He got to the final because Rafa withdrew; what a patethic (clown emoji)," a fan wrote.

"It is funny how he never mentions that he reached his only Wimbledon final after a walkover in his SF match, I guess he needs to thank his Tennis IQ even in that case," commented another fan.

"Novak played Wimbledon finals this year without a coach and a knee......," another chimed in.

Some took personal swipes at the seven-time ATP-Tour titlist in singles.

"The Trump of tennis," one fan wrote, referring to the US President-elect's often-controversial and unsubstantiated claims.

"Drugs and alcohol are very bad for the health," another added, taking a shot at the Australian over his admission that he resorted to using drugs and alcohol during a dark period in his life.

"I'll never know if he truly believes it or just wants attention. Probably both," weighed in yet another fan.

Kyrgios fares poorly in his head-to-head tally against the Federer, Nadal, Djokovic and Murray collective which, as the 'Big Four', dominated men's tennis from the early 2000s to the early 2020s.

Nick Kyrgios played 26 ATP Tour-level matches against the Big Four, won just seven

Nick Kyrgios in action at the 2022 US Open (Source: Getty)

Nick Kyrgios has managed just seven wins out of the 26 matches he has played against the quartet of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray.

The Aussie won just one out of his seven meetings against Federer, while having the same record against Murray. He tasted relatively more success against Rafael Nadal, winning three out of nine fixtures.

The only member of the Big Four that Nick Kyrgios has an edge against in head-to-head terms in Novak Djokovic. Barring the Australian's 2022 Wimbledon final loss to the Serb, he won the other two ATP Tour-level matches between the pair.

Kyrgios and Djokovic are both set to compete at the 2025 Brisbane International, which will mark the former's first piece of competitive tennis action since June 2023.