Seven-time Wimbledon champion told Novak Djokovic would ‘eat him alive’
Nick Kyrgios believes seven-time Wimbledon champion Pete Sampras would be overwhelmed by Novak Djokovic if the pair faced one another in their prime. The outspoken Australian does not believe stars of previous eras – even all-time greats such as Sampras and Boris Becker – could hold a candle to modern players.
Kyrgios is one of many stars battling to win Grand Slam titles among a competitive field of hyper-athletic superstars leaning on their power game. So how can he call out the likes of Sampras, a 14-time major champion?
Ultimately, Kyrgios does not believe the eras are comparable and that modern stars are far superior. While some may argue developed equipment and heightened understanding of nutrition may be key, Kyrgios cares not – he simply believes 24-time major champion Djokovic would crush the likes of Sampras in a match.
“I’m not saying they wouldn’t have found their way,” Kyrgios told The Athletic, referring to legends and champions who enjoyed success before the modern game. “But serve and volley, to do it all the time now, you need to be serving 220, because if you serve anything less than 220, bro, Djokovic eats you alive. He eats you alive.
“Bro, Lleyton Hewitt destroyed Sampras one year at the U.S. Open. That was the first prototype of someone who could return serve.
“He made Sampras look like s***. And what would Djokovic do to someone like Sampras? It would be a cleanup. If Hewitt was doing it, Djokovic would destroy him. He would eat him alive.”
Kyrgios further digressed, adding: “The game was so slow back then. I’ve watched Boris Becker and I’m not saying they weren’t good in their time, but to say that they would be just as good now, it’s absurd.
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“A big serve back then was like 197 to 200 (km per hour). People like me, we serve 220 consistently, to corners. It’s a whole different ball game.”
Kyrgios enjoyed the best year of his career in 2022, reaching his first Grand Slam singles final at Wimbledon and a career-high of 11 in the world rankings. However, he missed all four majors this year due to wrist, knee and foot injuries.
He is also set to miss next month’s Australian Open as he struggles with injuries. Kyrgios played just one ATP Tour match this year, losing to China’s world number 64 Yibing Wu in Stuttgart in June, which sparked rumours of an early retirement for the fiery Australian.
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