'Novak Djokovic is our LeBron James, he should be more careful,' says Nick Kyrgios

ATP
Tuesday, 26 January 2021 at 09:45
Djokovic Novak Rome2015
Speaking about Novak Djokovic, Nick Kyrgios said that he doesn't have anything against world no. 1, although he didn't like some of Novak's moves during the pandemic.
"Health and safety always come first in my eyes. At the end of the day, it is only a tennis tournament that we're playing, and I don't think it should override health protocols and putting other people at risk. The players knew when they got here what the restrictions were going to be; there is no real complaining, in my opinion. If everyone went about the pandemic as Australia did, we would be in a very different position. I think, as a nation, Australia has dealt with the pandemic really well. As a country, we've come together, and we've worked well. In Melbourne, with obviously the bubble, they've done an incredible job.
The authorities aren't letting up and are making sure everyone is sticking by the rules. I actually feel quite safe. I didn't feel safe during last year, traveling and playing overseas; I thought it was a bit too soon to play. I think now the conditions are safe enough, and everyone is going to work together and make sure we do it the right way. I don't want to put anyone else at risk. I have loved ones that I don't want to even have the chance to expose to Covid, so I think it's safe enough. Novak Djokovic is one of the leaders of our sport. He's technically our LeBron James in the way he has to be setting an example for all tennis players.
When he was doing some of the things during the global pandemic, it just wasn't the right time. I know everyone makes mistakes, some of us go off track sometimes, and I think we have to hold each other accountable. We're colleagues at the end of the day; we compete against each other, we play the same sport. No one else was really holding Djokovic accountable. Everyone loses their way a bit, but I think he just needs to pull it back. I'm not doing any of this sort of stuff for media attention: these are the morals I've grown up with, and I was just trying to do my part," Nick Kyrgios said.

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