Aussie tennis star Nick Kyrgios was the recipient of praise from fellow tennis player Holger Rune, with the Dane calling him "a hell of a player" in a recent interview.
The World No. 8 recalled an instance when Kyrgios played a mentoring role while he was playing on the ITF circuit, praising the 27-year-old for how "nice" he treated him back then. Rune claimed that the two have had a great relationship ever since and called the Australian a "hell of a player."
“I was playing on Futures tour," Rune said in an interview with Gazetta. "He was very nice to help me out with tactics & very polite. I was just like ‘Ok I’ll give it a chance & try to text him’ & he replied. Since then we’ve had a great relationship. I respect him a lot. He’s a hell of a player."
Kyrgios took to social media to express his delight at Rune's comments and posted some emojis, including a few heart emojis. The Wimbledon finalist has often spoken highly of his Danish counterpart, even claiming the youngster has the potential to win a Grand Slam in the future.
"Holger's potential is incredible, and it is big enough to win several grand slams during his career. It could be big for the sport of tennis," the Aussie told Danish newspaper B.T.
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Holger Rune on Kyrgios: “I was playing on Futures tour. He was very nice to help me out with tactics & very polite. I was just like ‘Ok I’ll give it a chance & try to text him’ & he replied. Since then we’ve had a great relationship. I respect him a lot. He’s a hell of a player”