‘He’s just so composed’ – Nick Kyrgios believes he was’ right there’ with ‘one of the GOATs’ Novak Djokovic

Nick Kyrgios says he has drawn huge confidence from his Wimbledon run despite losing in the Wimbledon final to Novak Djokovic on Sunday.

The Australian was able to push the now seven-time Wimbledon champion to four sets before suffering defeat 6-4, 3-6, 4-6, 6-7 (3-7) on Centre Court. 

A first meeting with Djokovic for five years and a first at a Major, the match-up certainly left an impression of awe on Kyrgios.

He opened his post-final press conference by saying: “[Djokovic] is just really composed. It’s weird, I felt like he didn’t do anything amazing today. 

“He returned obviously the way he returns. I feel like he’s just a great returner. But he was just so composed. I feel like that’s his greatest strength, he just never looks rattled.”

The Wimbledon showdown was Djokovic’s 32nd appearance in a Slam final, a new men’s record, while Kyrgios was of course experiencing such an occasion for the first time in his career. 

Despite that inexperience, the 27-year-old feels he did well in the circumstances to compose his nerves. 

“My level is right there,” he said. “I’m not behind the eight ball at all. I played a Slam final against one of the greatest of all time, and I was right there. 

“[It gives me] confidence obviously. It was a hell of an occasion. People were probably expecting me to have something happen today. 

“But I came out in the first set and I looked like I was the one who had played in a lot of finals. I thought I dealt with the pressure pretty well.”

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