Nick Kyrgios' warm-up match with Novak Djokovic sells out in 58 minutes

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Nick Kyrgios had a excavation astatine his critics aft his warm-up lucifer against Novak Djokovic successful Melbourne connected Friday sold retired successful 58 minutes.

The arguable Australian volition play the Serb successful a repetition of past year's Wimbledon last successful a fundraiser connected Rod Laver Arena earlier the Australian Open.

"Wow Nick Kyrgios is atrocious for the sport! Wow what a disgrace, a nationalist embarrassment!" Kyrgios, 27, tweeted.

"How situation helium merchantability retired different stadium, the arrogance."

Tickets for the lucifer connected the 14,820-capacity tribunal were priced astatine 20 Australian dollars (£11.30).

Kyrgios has agelong divided sentiment with his on-court outbursts and antics, which are often displayed alongside immense earthy endowment and eye-catching instrumentality shots.

Some of his conduct, specified arsenic spitting successful the absorption of a instrumentality astatine Wimbledon, has resulted successful fines, portion different episodes person been viewed arsenic humorous exchanges with the crowd.

He was astir precocious criticised by Australian co-captain Lleyton Hewitt aft pulling retired of the United Cup successful aboriginal January with an wounded conscionable minutes earlier his pre-tournament quality conference.

Hewitt said helium had been unaware of Kyrgios' withdrawal until his announcement, but Kyrgios argued helium had been thrown "under the bus".

From 'strange cat' to 'official bromance'

Kyrgios and Djokovic person had an uneasy narration successful the past, with the Australian branding the 21-time Grand Slam victor a "tool" and a "strange cat" successful 2021.

But Kyrgios said a "bromance" had blossomed successful the run-up to the pair's Wimbledon last past summer, which the Serb won successful 4 sets.

In his on-court triumph code successful SW19, Djokovic told Kyrgios: "I ne'er thought I would accidental truthful galore bully things astir you! OK, it's official: it is simply a bromance."

Djokovic, who returns to adjacent week's Australian Open a twelvemonth connected from his arguable deportation, is coming disconnected the backmost of winning the Adelaide International 1 title connected Sunday.

Kyrgios, playing successful his archetypal lucifer since injuring his ankle successful October, volition beryllium hoping to defend his Australian Open doubles title alongside Thanasi Kokkinakis aft an awesome 2022 play which saw him scope a Grand Slam singles last for the archetypal time.

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