Serbian Open director Djordje Djokovic has revealed that the tournament is in negotiations with Nick Kyrgios to bring the Australian to this year’s edition. The Serbian Open will be held in Banja Luka from April 17 to 23. The usual venue for the Serbian Open is undergoing changes, so the tournament is moved from Belgrade to Banja Luka for a year.
“We are in negotiations. I am not authorized to reveal names, but Kyrgios is one of the tennis players with whom we are in negotiations. We all know that clay is not his favorite surface, but this year he has decided to play tournaments on the slow surface as well, so we hope to reach an agreement”, revealed Djordje Djokovic.
In the past, Kyrgios and Novak Djokovic were not friends. But after Kyrgios publicly supported Djokovic during the Australian visa saga, their relationship changed completely for the better. “He is a very honest person. Everything that happened before with Novak, even if we didn’t like it, was very honest.
He showed himself as the man when Novak needed him the most. He stood up for his people and his country and supported Djokovic, and I’m sure none of us will ever forget it,” recalled Djordje Djokovic. Meanwhile, Kyrgios and Djokovic have forged a very good relationship.
In January, Kyrgios and Djokovic played an exhibition match at Rod Laver Arena, the proceeds of which went entirely to charity. Last year, Djokovic admitted that he was “pleasantly surprised” by Kyrgios’ support during the infamous Australian visa saga.
“I was pleasantly surprised by Nick Kyrgios, I thanked him and everyone else who supported me, Alize Cornet for example.” Djokovic trains in Marbella, preparing for the next tournaments on his calendar.
Kyrgios underwent surgery
Dmitry Tursunov believes Nick Kyrgios’ popularity at every venue he plays at has a lot to do with his on-court demeanor.
“Players are afraid to show their personality, to say their minds, because nowadays anything you say can be twisted,” Tursunov said on The Craig Shapiro Tennis Podcast. “You say that, ‘I played great today,’ someone’s going to say that, ‘Oh, he sounds cocky, he’s putting his opponent down.’
So players in general are just afraid to be themselves,” he added. “That’s why I think Nick Kyrgios sells out every freaking stadium that he plays in because he hasn’t been neutered enough. He’s been fined enough, but he doesn’t mind it. He’s a very strong personality of you ask me,” Tursunov added.
