"Novak Djokovic would destroy Pete Sampras, he would eat him alive" - Nick Kyrgios

Nick Kyrgios has cited Novak Djokovic's example to elucidate how past tennis legends would struggle in today's game given the significant evolution in terms of serve speeds.

With Kyrgios' explosive serve being one of his biggest weapons on the court, it comes as no surprise that he places immense importance on this aspect of modern tennis. In a recent interview with The Athletic, the Australian expressed his belief that past legends like Boris Becker would struggle to compete in today's game due to the increased speed of serving.

"The game was so slow back then. I’ve watched Boris Becker and I’m not saying they weren’t good in their time, but to say that they would be just as good now, it’s absurd. A big serve back then was like 197 to 200 (km per hour — about 122mph). People like me, we serve 220 consistently, to corners. It’s a whole different ball game," he said.

The 28-year-old supported his claim by citing Lleyton Hewitt's ability to return slower serves well, particularly highlighting his compatriot's dominant straight-sets win over Pete Sampras in the 2001 US Open final.

Kyrgios contended that Hewitt's proficiency in neutralizing Sampras' serve suggested that a player of Djokovic's caliber would "destroy" the 14-time Grand Slam champion with his exceptional return skills.

"I’m not saying they wouldn’t have found their way. But serve and volley, to do it all the time now, you need to be serving 220, because if you serve anything less than 220, bro, Djokovic eats you alive. He eats you alive. Bro, Lleyton Hewitt destroyed Sampras one year at the U.S. Open. That was the first prototype of someone who could return serve," he said.

"He made Sampras look like sh*t. And what would Djokovic do to someone like Sampras? It would be a cleanup. If Hewitt was doing it, Djokovic would destroy him. He would eat him alive," he added.

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A brief look at Novak Djokovic and Nick Kyrgios' head-to-head record

2023 Australian Open: Previews

Nick Kyrgios stands out as one of the few players on tour to enjoy a winning record against Novak Djokovic. The duo have locked horns on three occasions, with the Australian emerging victorious in two of them.

Kyrgios and the Serb first faced off in the 2017 Mexican Open quarterfinals, where the 28-year-old claimed a dominant straight-sets victory. That same season, the Australian also secured victory in their clash at the Indian Wells Masters, winning in straight sets once more.

However, it was the 24-time Grand Slam champion who triumphed in their latest and most significant encounter, defeating Kyrgios in four sets in the 2022 Wimbledon Championships final. With his win, the Serb clinched his seventh title at SW19.