Nick Kyrgios recently opened up about the challenges he faces as a person of color in a predominantly white sport, highlighting the unfortunate prevalence of racism he faces.
Kyrgios comes from mixed Greek-Malaysian heritage. He was born in Canberra, Australia, to Norlaila, a Malay mother, and George, a Greek father. His mother, born into the Selangor royal family in Malaysia, made the decision to move to Australia in her twenties.
Talk to Mike Tyson and his co-host and NFL star Sebastian Joseph-Day, Nick Kyrgios delved into the challenges of competing in a sport dominated by white athletes. The 28-year-old has candidly shared his personal experiences with racism throughout his career, recounting instances where he was subjected to hurtful and racist comments from spectators during matches.
Sebastian Joseph-Day asked Kyrgios:
“What are some of the challenges of playing tennis and being majority white and people of color?”
While acknowledging the presence of racism in his home country Australia, Nick Kyrgios said it doesn’t affect him much.
“Yeah, I’ve had to deal with quite a few things in my career, of course, like people shouting racist comments. I’ve dealt with that a few times, but I mean, I don’t care. A lot of my friends at home are people of color, and I almost always fit into that culture a little better, to be honest,” Kyrgios said on the latest episode of the Hotboxin’ with Mike Tyson podcast.
“I feel more accepted, and yeah, look, I’ve dealt with a lot of this stuff. Australia is pretty bad with this stuff anyway, but I don’t care,” a- he added.
“Novak Djokovic is the best of all time, I don’t think he gets the credit he deserves” – Nick Kyrgios
In the aforementioned podcast, Nick Kyrgios declared that Novak Djokovic is the GOAT (greatest of all time) and added that the Serbian’s extraordinary achievements often go unrecognized.
Djokovic recently won his 24th Grand Slam title at the 2023 US Open, cementing his position as favorite among his main rivals. In comparison, Rafael Nadal holds 22 Grand Slam titles, while Roger Federer, who has retired, has 20. The Serb’s triumph also propelled him ahead of Serena Williams, making him the player with the most singles titles in the world. Grand Slam in the Open Era.
During his conversation with Mike Tyson, Nick Kyrgios expressed his admiration for Novak Djokovic, recognizing him as the greatest player in tennis history. The Australian highlighted the Serbian’s impressive Grand Slam record and highlighted his potential to win even more major titles.
The 28-year-old also pointed out that despite the world number 1’s consistent excellence and long-standing presence in the sport, he often fails to receive the recognition he truly deserves.
“I think he (Novak Djokovic) is the best of all time. Like (24) Grand Slams and I think he has a few more in him too, it’s crazy. I don’t think he gets enough credit that he deserves. He’s almost I’ve been touring for about 20 years as well, like longevity,” Kyrgios said.
