During the 2022 Wimbledon final, Nick Kyrgios showcased everything he had on Centre Court against Novak Djokovic—his powerful serves, those unpredictable trick shots, and all that fiery emotion—but in the end, he still came up short in four sets. The final score of 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6(3) is a testament to Djokovic’s dominance. But what if things were different?

Kyrgios came out strong, but Djokovic’s steady composure and ability to perform under pressure made all the difference in those key moments. As Kyrgios said after the match, “I felt like he didn’t do anything amazing today… But he was just so composed.”

Now, as Kyrgios makes his return to tennis after months of injury rehab, he revisited that final, suggesting that if he had faced a different opponent, the result would have been totally different. “I don’t think I could have played any better in the Wimbledon final. I served the best I could, but Djokovic broke my serve three out of four times. If my opponent had been Nadal, I would have done well against him,” said the Australian.

Though Djokovic and Kyrgios frequently sparred verbally over the years, it appears that their new truce has led the 30-year-old to direct his jabs a different way. However, in their 9 meetings, it was Nadal who emerged victorious six times, though Kyrgios held a 2-1 lead on grass.

In fact, one of their most memorable matchups happened in the fourth round of Wimbledon back in 2014. It was a young 19-year-old Kyrgios, who was ranked 144th in the world at the time, making a huge statement by taking down the then-world number one, Nadal. He won it in four sets: 7-6 (7-5), 5-7, 7-6 (7-5), 6-3, winning his first ever encounter with the Spaniard.

Fast forward to today, and Kyrgios may be far from his Nadal-beating best, but his personality has remained as playful as ever.

Nick Kyrgios’ 2-word response to his American rival

On Saturday at the Atlanta Cup, Nick Kyrgios finally made his much-anticipated return to the court, facing off against the American sensation Ben Shelton. After being away from the game for months because of wrist and knee problems, the Australian, who’s now ranked outside the top 600, finally hit the court for his first match. In the end, it was Shelton’s steady play that secured the friendly match, with the American finishing strong at 7-6, 6-3.

Even though things didn’t go his way, the best moment of the night for Kyrgios wasn’t a fantastic shot or an ace; it was actually a hilarious, awkward tumble at the net. He jumped onto his Instagram story and dropped a quick, two-word reply to Shelton about the viral clip: “Hahaha thanks.”

This playful exchange really shows the unique and evolving bond between Kyrgios and Shelton. Kyrgios opened up about the American player before the Atlanta exhibition, mentioning that he sees “a lot of myself in his tennis, his risk-taking, and the way he interacts with the crowd.” He called Shelton an “incredible player,” mentioning how his explosive energy reminds him of his own younger days.

Playing in exhibitions like this will help him get a better grasp of his form before he makes a full return in 2026.