Nick Kyrgios criticized Australia’s treatment of rival-turned-friend Novak Djokovic, responding to the Serbian star’s claim that he was poisoned while detained in Melbourne by saying: “We treated him like shit.”
The 24-time Grand Slam champion recently revealed the trauma he still suffers from around his Melbourne Covid nightmare in 2022.
Then Immigration Minister Alex Hawke infamously denied Djokovic entry into the country three years ago because he was not fully vaccinated.
Djokovic was detained at Melbourne’s Park Hotel for five days while he contested the decision before being sent home.
In an interview with GQ Before this year’s Australian Open, he alleged he had been stoned during his hotel stay.
‘I had some health problems. And I realized that in that hotel in Melbourne they fed me food that poisoned me,” Djokovic said.
Nick Kyrgios called Australia’s treatment of Novak Djokovic ‘shit’ over the Serbian superstar’s incredible claim that he was poisoned in Melbourne in 2022.
Djokovic (pictured playing doubles with Kyrgios at the Brisbane International) blamed the food he was served while in detention for leaving him with high levels of lead and mercury.
‘I had some discoveries when I returned to Serbia. I never said this to anyone publicly, but I found out that I had a very high level of heavy metal. Heavy metals. I had lead, very high level of lead and mercury.
Asked if he believed it came from food, Djokovic replied: “That’s the only way.”
Kyrgios was facing the media at Melbourne Park on Friday when he was asked if he had asked the former world number one about the explosive claim.
“No, I haven’t spoken to him about it, I didn’t know,” the 29-year-old said.
“We treated him like shit.”
Djokovic claimed that the only food he had was provided by the hotel, while he claimed that his treatment was different from other quarantined athletes because he had been placed in a “sort of jail-type room.”
Djokovic was forced to leave Australia just days before his appearance on court as the defending Australian Open champion.
His detention came after he entered the country unvaccinated during pandemic border restrictions.
In the photo, the 24-time Grand Slam champion, second from left, is escorted to his flight after Australia’s federal court upheld the decision to cancel his visa in 2022.
Djokovic also claimed that the Australian government deported him because they feared he would become a “hero” of the anti-vaccine movement.
Djokovic’s visa had been canceled by the Australian government on the grounds of “health and good order”, and an appeal against the decision was ultimately rejected.
The Serbian star suggested his deportation was due to the Australian government’s fears that he had become a “hero” of the growing anti-vaccine movement in the country at the time.
Kyrgios, who will face Britain’s Jacob Fearnley in the first round of the Australian Open, continued to voice his usual views on doping and his injury battle.
“I feel like it’s the only thing that’s been talked about in tennis for the last few months,” he said of the doping dramas surrounding Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek, about which he has repeatedly criticized the sport.
“I’ve been evaluated four times in the last few months, so for me it hasn’t been a problem in my career… I’m not worried at all because I’m really aware of what’s going on with my team, so I’m sure that I’m not accidentally putting something into my system.
Kyrgios and Djokovic have gone from rivals to teammates since the Australian lost the Wimbledon men’s singles final to him in 2022.
After calming fears that a new abdominal injury could prevent him from playing in Melbourne by stating “as long as it doesn’t become something like my wrist again, I think I can handle it”, he responded to claims that the media had been excluded from his practice session on Friday morning as if he and his team had something to hide.
“Actually, it wasn’t planned to be a closed session, I think it was a misunderstanding,” he said.
“I didn’t mind the cameras and it creates a little more atmosphere, and every time I get to play in front of these fans, with so many kids, I think it’s special for me.
“Okay, the body feels good after today’s session, and I will come back later today.”
The Canberran also spoke about what he has missed in the game during his long absence due to serious wrist and knee injuries.
‘For me, being back adds some question marks about what’s going to happen today. I love that. Every time I go out on the court I don’t know if I’m going to be super controversial for better or worse.
“Throughout my career it hasn’t always been good, but it has added a lot of excitement to the game. I think it’s important because there are a lot of good players on tour now and there aren’t as many contrasting personalities, so I think it’s good to be back and play.”