Nick Kyrgios says he felt intimidated the first time he saw "the GOAT" Roger Federer, calls him "a friendly guy with a great sense of humor"

Nick Kyrgios called Roger Federer "the GOAT" when asked about the Swiss during a recent Q&A session on his Instagram handle. The Australian added that he felt intimidated by Federer when he first met him, and that the 40-year-old has a unique aura.

"(He is) the GOAT," Kyrgios said. "I was intimidated the first time I saw him and after that he always continued to have the aura that no other player has."

Nick Kyrgios also made a mention of Roger Federer's outgoing and pleasant personality, calling him a "friendly" guy.

"He is a great and friendly guy with a great sense of humor," Kyrgios said.

Interestingly, Roger Federer has a 6-1 head-to-head record against Nick Kyrgios. The 26-year-old won their very first encounter, at the 2015 Madrid Masters, but has gone winless since then.

On an unrelated note, Nick Kyrgios also said during the Instagram session that he would like to "play hide and go seek" with Novak Djokovic if they were trapped together on a desert island. Kyrgios has often aimed jibes at Djokovic in the past, especially with reference to his 2-0 head-to-head lead over the Serb.

The former World No. 13 was also asked who he felt his most difficult opponent was, to which he replied "Murray/Nishkori."

Kyrgios has faced Murray six times, with the Brit prevailing in the first five encounters. But the Australian won their last match, at Queen's in 2018.

Meanwhile, Nishikori has an unbeaten 4-0 record against Kyrgios.

The 2014 Wimbledon quarterfinalist also revealed that he has broken over 300 rackets in his life so far. Known as a talented but hot-headed player, Kyrgios has a reputation for smashing his rackets out of frustration. He has been fined numerous times and also been given a suspension for his on-court antics in the past.

"Motivation is a day-to-day battle" - Nick Kyrgios

Nick Kyrgios at the 2020 ATP Cup

Nick Kyrgios went on to talk about his constant struggle to remain motivated, something that has plagued much of his career.

"It (motivation) is a day-to-day battle," Kyrgios said. "I do not plan ahead, I just take it day by day."

The Australian specifically mentioned his struggles with mental health last year, saying that he was "spiraling out of control" and that he was in "a lonely, dark place." Talking about his anxiety issues, Kyrgios revealed that he is "still learning to deal with it", while adding that he leans on his family and friends to stave off the negativity from outsiders.

On the professional front, the Canberra local has been visibly struggling with his form for a long time now. Kyrgios is on the brink of dropping out of the top 100, currently placed at No. 97.

The Aussie pulled out of the rest of the season after falling to World No. 3 Stefanos Tsitsipas at the Laver Cup in Boston last month.