By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Thursday January 6, 2022
Nick Kyrgios has developed a reputation as one of the more incisive antagonists of Novak Djokovic in the past, but today he put whatever bitter feelings he may harbor against the World No.1 aside and spoke from his heart about the difficult situation that Djokovic now faces, as he is holed up in a quarantine hotel waiting for his appeal to be heard on Monday, after having his visa denied by the Australian government on Thursday in an episode that was heavily publicized around the world.
It appears that Kyrgios is not impressed by the way the situation is being handled in Australia.
“Look I definitely believe in taking action, I got vaccinated because of others and for my mums health, but how we are handling Novak’s situation is bad, really bad,” he wrote on Twitter. “Like these memes, headlines, this is one of our great champions but at the end of the day, he is human. Do better.”
Djokovic’s saga is far from over, and as he waits to learn his fate in a few days, many players are expressing sympathy for Djokovic, who believed he had procured an exemption from Tennis Australia and the Victorian government, but was stonewalled by border patrol when he landed at Tullamarine Airport on Thursday evening in Melbourne.
The world is watching closely as information comes in and, slowly but surely, we learn the details of Djokovic's case. He has claimed that he contracted Covid in the previous six months, and it was deemed by border patrol officials that he was unable to properly substantiate those claims. Meanwhile, two other people, reportedly one player and one official, have already been allowed into the country with the same exemption.
It is a long and convoluted story, with politics, ineptitude and communcation gaps all playing a role, and we'll know a lot more on Monday when Djokovic's injunction is official.
No matter what happens then, it is a painful situation and Kyrgios’ words are welcome at a difficult time for Djokovic and, frankly, for the sport.