Nick Kyrgios: ‘Roger Federer and Michael Jordan are very similar but statistically Novak Djokovic is better’

Nick Kyrgios has said he thinks sporting legends Roger Federer and Michael Jordan are “very similar” but he believes “statistically Novak is better”.

The fiery Australian also made it clear that he does not believe that many big-name former players could compete against the stars of the current era, while also addressing toilet breaks, potential retirement opportunities and considering himself to be unprofessional.

When asked if players from earlier eras, such as John McEnroe and Pete Sampras, could compete with the ‘Big Three’ of Federer, Nadal and Djokovic, Kyrgios was dismissive.

“No way because I think Jordan could still play [in the NBA] in this era, whereas those guys would get absolutely snipped in this era.”

Asked about the toilet-break rules in tennis, Kyrgios was equally forthright in making his views abundantly clear.

“The pee thing is just stupid, the tennis rules are just so dumb. I’m always in arguments with the umpires. I have been fined; I am the leading fine guy.

“The personalities in tennis are a bit inside the box. I just feel like, I am not doing anything crazy. If you compare it to other sports, just being yourself … but in tennis, I cannot walk the line too much because they would just suspend me, and I need to play.

“There are not many people at the moment like me, like that, but then when they want to post on social media about tennis, it is always about me or Nadal or Djokovic, no one else. Then they are like, ‘oh, you can’t do this’, but then they will use my name to bring tickets and fans.”

Later on, Kyrgios admitted that he would have likely stepped away from the sport had he managed to overcome world No. 1 Djokovic in the final of Wimbledon last summer.

“That was my chance, that was really my chance,” he said. “If I’d honestly won that, I think I would have retired at least for a year or two.

“I would say I am probably the most unprofessional tennis player. I do not warm up or anything, no coach. It is all I have known since I was seven years old. Last year was awesome, making the final of Wimbledon and finally achieving things that will last forever.

“I think I can win a Grand Slam. Wimbledon I was right there, I was two sets away. I won the first set and I thought ‘this is it’, and then I just didn’t stay in the moment and he stayed super composed.

“I feel like I could do that. It’s weird, but I feel like it’s not even for me though, I feel like it’s for everyone else, all the haters as well. I could finally just rest. I could just go home and sleep in my bed and not deal with the s***.”

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