By Tim Parsons-
Australian tennis star, Nick Kyrgios, has expressed his view that Novak Djokavic is better than Roger Federer , despite considering the latter comparable to Michael Jordan, a six-time NBA champion.
The high public rating that indirectly also ranks Djokavic’s accomplishments and talent beyond that of Michael Jordan- a basketball great- will have the Serbian tennis genius licking hid lips with huge pride and potential pomposity.
Federer, a former 20-time Grand Slam champion, is highly rated as a tennis great, but Krygios is of the opinion he does not match Djokavic for talent in the sport.
Kyrgios agrees Federer has a similar level of extreme talent as Jordan on tennis, but he highlights Djokovic’s astonishing record as standing beyond the pair. “Federer and Jordan are very similar but I think statistically Novak is better,” Kyrgios said on the podcast Tennis365. American Jordan who has achieved significant achievements in his sport , will not be amused at the elevation of a sportsman in a different sport over his own exploits spanning many years.
The huge enviable plaudits for Djokavic may just explain why he feels he is entitled to exemption from stringent vaccination entry requirements into the United States, despite the clear rules that forbid entry for none vaccinated individuals.
Opinions about vaccination entry requirements into countries that make the legal stipulation vary among people, but the irrelevance of opinions to the ethical principle of equal treatment is unarguable. Stardom or special talent is not a license to breaking laws or obtaining special exemptions, which the often deified Djokavic appears to feel is a right he should be granted.
Kyrgios, a gifted tennis player himself, who played his first junior match in 2008 at the age of 13 at a grade 4 tournament in Australia, won his first ITF junior tour title in Fiji in June 2010 at aged 15, and turned professional at the age of 17, is a special talent in his own right.
Kyrgios has won seven ATP Tour singles titles, including the 2019 and 2022 Washington Open, and reached eleven finals, most notably a major final at the 2022 Wimbledon Championships, and a Masters 1000 final at the 2017 Cincinnati Masters.
Last summer, 27-year-old Kyrgios made his first Grand Slam final at Wimbledon, but succumbed to Djokovic who won in four sets. His decision to put Djokavic on a high pedastal is testament to Djokavic’s achievement in the sport.
Djokavic has been an outstanding performer in the sport, winning multiple titles over the years. The tennis ace has applied for exceptional permission to enter the U.S , and is waiting for a decision to allow him to play at Indian Wells and the Miami Open next month.
Nadal and Djokovic, who are both positioned at the top of the all-time Grand Slam rankings, but the Serbian star player still sits at the top of the world rankings, after achieving his 10th Australian Open a few weeks ago.
Djokavic’s achievements in the sport remains remarkable, making him an all time great in tennis, ahead of most of his contemporaries in other sports. His bid to participate in the U.S opens is currently blocked over the Serb’s insistence on not being vaccinated.
The United States has extended its requirement for international visitors to be vaccinated against Covid-19, its rule coming as a huge disadvantage to the tennis player, who has stood his ground of not shifting his position on vaccination, much to the disappointment and anger of his critics.
Most countries that began with vaccination laws as requirements for entering their countries have since relaxed their rules, including Australia and France, but the U.S has maintained its stance, but expected to relax it soon.
Djokavic is unlikely to be permitted to sidestep the rules and showcase his super talent in America, much to the delight of his many critics, but his star shines well beyond politics or controversy.