Nick Kyrgios refuses to compare Novak Djokovic to Michael Jordan as he likes Serb with different sporting icons

Nick Kyrgios disagrees with pro Richard Gasquet after the Frenchman claimed only basketball icon Michael Jordan could rival tennis superstar Novak Djokovic in terms of longevity.

The Australian star instead preferred Djokovic to another NBA legend, LeBron James, and asserted that Jordan “Stopped earlier than James” and “wasn’t as dominant as James.”

Djokovic, who turned 36 last May, has had one of the most dominant seasons of his career in 2023, winning seven titles in just 12 ATP events.

The Serbian won 56 of 63 games in all competitions (88.9%) and ended the season ranked number one in the world for the eighth time. He won three of the four Grand Slam tournaments while also losing in the Wimbledon final.

In a recent interview with French media L’EquipeGasquet said Djokovic is an anomaly given what he has accomplished at his age.

“It definitely gets worse (as you get older). Who else has won a Grand Slam at almost 37 years old besides Djokovic? We in sports other than (Michael) Jordan Has this happened too? (Lionel) Messi plays in Miami and other (footballers) play in Saudi Arabia and he is number one in the world,” said the Frenchman.

“I can’t explain why people like that are so strong at that age. Generally speaking, when you are 37-38 years old, your performance will be much worse than when you were 25 years old. You know. I never told myself that I would be better at 38 Playing at the age of 38 (Gaskquet will be 38 in June). It’s unimaginable.”

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Responding to an Instagram post sharing Gasquet’s quote, 2022 Wimbledon runner-up Kyrgios explained why he feels Djokovic is more like James than Jordan.

“No, he’s LeBron (James). LeBron is still doing it at 40. (Michael) Jordan stopped earlier. But it’s not that dominant,” the 28-year-old wrote .

Gasquet, currently ranked 131st in the world, also talked about his recent decline in rankings due to poor form.

“It’s a bit difficult. I knew it was going to happen one day or another. I didn’t think I would stay in the 100 for so long. I doubt after Auckland (when he dropped points after winning the championship last year) it won’t be possible Avoided,” said the 37-year-old.

“It’s just that you shouldn’t suffer on the court. That’s what makes me stop: the physical pain. If I feel like I can’t win anymore games, or if I’m in pain, if I can’t arch anymore, stop pushing . A bit more difficult than last year.

“I didn’t have good results in 2024. I haven’t played very well for three or four months. There have been some setbacks, though… (Andy) Murray has had them too. You feel like you’re missing a little bit of your legs.

“As long as there’s a little spark, there’s no particular pressure on me. When things have to stop, they’ll stop on their own. Thankfully I’ll keep giving until the end, and I have no regrets. “I’ve pushed it this far . “

Gasquet has lost his last nine matches at ATP Tour level, with his last win at an elite level coming in August in Winston-Salem.

The 16-time ATP champion was beaten in straight sets by world No. 102 Roberto Bautista Agut in the first round of the ATP 250 tournament in Marseille on Tuesday.

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