Kyrgios returns volley in Novak row
NICK KYRGIOS continued his feud with Novak Djokovic on the opening day in Melbourne, with the Australian branding the world No.1 a ‘strange cat’.
Djokovic had said on Sunday he had no respect for Kyrgios off the court after the Australian had been critical of the world No.1’s actions during the coronavirus pandemic.
Kyrgios spoke out against the ill-fated exhibition event Djokovic organised in the summer which observed no social distancing and saw a number of the players contract Covid.
Both men got their Australian Open campaigns off to a winning start as Djokovic beat Jeremy Chardy in straight sets and Kyrgios got the better of Frederico Ferreira Silva.
Kyrgios continued the war of words in his post-match press conference. ‘It’s a strange one for me because I read his comments, he said he doesn’t respect me off the court,’ he said. ‘It
actually would make complete sense to me if he was like, “Look, I don’t respect the guy on the court”, because I understand if he doesn’t agree with some of my antics on the court.
‘But I’m not quite sure how he can’t respect me off the court. I feel like I’ve gone about things extremely well, especially during the pandemic. But
he’s a very strange cat. Heck of a tennis player, but unfortunately someone that’s partying with his shirt off during a global pandemic. I don’t know if I can take any slack from that man.’
Offered the chance of a reply, Djokovic chose not to respond. ‘You can read (what he said) but I’m not going to answer to anything,’ he said.
PEP’S BOYS FACE EURO BUDA TEST
MANCHESTER City’s Champions League tie away to Borussia Monchengladbach will be played in Budapest due to coronavirus travel restrictions.
Pep Guardiola’s Premier League leaders will follow Liverpool in travelling to the Hungarian capital to face German opposition, with City’s round-of-16 first-leg match on February 24 to be played at the Puskas Arena.
Liverpool are set to play RB Leipzig at the same venue eight days earlier.
Leipzig are due at Anfield for their return leg on March 10, while Gladbach are scheduled to travel to the Etihad Stadium on March 16.
ILKAY GUNDOGAN insists Manchester City’s current brilliant form is not being taken for granted and the players will not drop their guard as they look to regain the Premier League title.
Sunday’s 4-1 win over Liverpool at Anfield made it 14 victories in a row in all competitions, equalling the record for top-flight sides set by Preston (in 1892) and Arsenal (in 1987).
Their five-point gap at the top of the table could be eight if they win the game in hand they have over the chasing pack and Gundogan said they have to maintain their high standards.
‘We know it is still a long season and there are still many games to play,’ said the midfielder. ‘Probably the most important thing now is to stay humble and to approach every game like we did in the last few weeks and months.
‘We know we are in a very good moment but we shouldn’t take it for granted and not drop any edge, and to keep going to do the stuff we have been doing as good as possible.’
City’s form matches the Germany international’s own as his two goals at Anfield took his tally to nine in his last 11 Premier League matches.
He accepts he is in the best form of his career in front of goal, having already surpassed his previous best of six in a season, which he managed for City in 2017-18 and 2018-19.
‘In terms of numbers it is by far the
best season I have ever had but there are also different parts of the game,’ added Gundogan, who missed a penalty at Anfield with the game still goalless.
‘For me, it is always about leaving everything on the pitch and leaving it with a good feeling in myself.
‘It doesn’t matter if you score or not, it is about the feeling I have after every game. That is how I judge myself.’