Before the men’s singles Wimbledon final on Sunday, the two competitors—Novak Djokovic and Nick Kyrgios—participated in some playful banter on Saturday via their Instagram stories.
It sounds like there’s a lot more on the line then just the gentlemen’s singles trophy and prize money on Sunday.
What started with the Australian reposting a photo detailing a conversation between the two tennis stars and adding “We friends now?” ended with a bet on the Grand Slam final match.
Djokovic replied to his opponent’s original message by saying “If you are inviting me for a drink or dinner, I accept 😆👌 P.S. Winner of tomorrow pays 😜”.
Kyrgios gladly accepted, adding that the two should also go to a nightclub and “go nuts” afterwards.
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The two players have a history of dislike for one another, especially in 2017 when Kyrgios beat Djokovic twice on hard court, which is known as the Serbian’s best surface. These remain the only two times they have played each other, meaning Djokovic has never beaten Kyrgios.
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However, their relationship shifted this year when the 20-time Grand Slam winner was deported out of Australia ahead of the Australian Open due to his vaccination status. Kyrgios defended Djokovic, and remained one of the only professional tennis stars to be vocal about his support for him. It sounds like the former World No. 1 really appreciated the words from the Australian.
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