What happens when two of tennis’ biggest personalities team up? Not just on-court but off of it too? Novak Djokovic, the all-time great, is gearing up for the 2025 season at the Brisbane International, his first tournament since the Rolex Shanghai Masters, where he reached the final. Simultaneously, he’s also formed an unlikely partnership with home favorite Nick Kyrgios in the doubles event. The pairing partnership has been dubbed a “validation” of Kyrgios‘ fiery remarks about Jannik Sinner. And now, Djokovic has thrown his weight behind the Aussie’s perspective.

Kyrgios hasn’t minced words regarding Sinner. The Aussie star has made it clear that he thinks the situation has been mishandled. “I think that it’s been handled horrifically in our sport. Two world No.1s both getting done for doping is disgusting for our sport – it’s a horrible look. The tennis integrity right now, and everyone knows it, but no one wants to speak about it – it’s awful,” Kyrgios boldly stated in a recent press conference. These strong words have stirred up plenty of debate. And now Djokovic has backed the Aussie’s words!

In a press conference at the Brisbane 2025 ATP tournament, the 24-time Grand Slam winner didn’t shy away from discussing the issue. He explained, “It’s not pleasant, but at the same time, we live in a world where everyone has the right to express themselves, especially on social media. Nick has expressed himself very well about the entire Jannik doping case, and he is right about the transparency and incoherence of the protocols and the comparisons between the various cases. We have seen many players in the past, and even now, who have been suspended for not even undergoing anti-doping controls and for not communicating their availability, and some lower-ranking players who have been waiting for the resolution of their case for more than a year.”

The Serbian tennis player further said, “I do not question whether the prohibited substance was taken intentionally or not. I believe in clean sport, I believe that the player will do everything possible to play correctly. I’ve known Jannik since he was very young, so I don’t think he’d be the kind of person who would do something like that, but I felt really frustrated, like most other players, to see that we’ve been kept in the dark for five months since he got that news. It’s not a good picture for our sport.”

A week ago, Guido Monaco, a former ATP player and prominent Italian tennis commentator, advised fans to disregard Kyrgios’ provocative remarks. However, Monaco himself seemingly contradicted this advice. He suggested that Djokovic’s decision to partner with Kyrgios “corroborates” the latter’s criticisms of Sinner, implying an endorsement of Kyrgios’ perspective by Djokovic.

“We ought to disregard what Kyrgios has to say,” Monaco opined. “Djokovic’s choice to play doubles with him essentially validates Kyrgios’ views on Sinner, which I find concerning. This ongoing relationship, especially in light of Kyrgios’ statements, is disheartening for tennis fans. Kyrgios has consistently undermined the sport, and it’s time we treat him as the problematic figure he is.”

The doping case in question revolves around Sinner’s positive test for clostebol, a banned anabolic steroid, twice during the Indian Wells tournament in March 2024. Despite the initial silence surrounding the tests, it only came to light in August 2024. While an independent panel representing the International Tennis Federation (ITF) cleared Sinner of fault, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has appealed the decision, with a hearing expected after the 2025 Australian Open.

As Djokovic broke the silence about controversy, he’s now focused on the season ahead. After undergoing knee surgery earlier in the year, the 37-year-old made a solid return by reaching the Wimbledon final. He opted out of the ATP Finals, where Sinner had a breakout performance, but Djokovic’s focus remains on his next big goal. His upcoming season is set to include some exciting developments, including his doubles partnership with Kyrgios.

Nick Kyrgios explained the “first chance” against Novak Djokovic in Brisbane

The duo’s partnership is a surprising twist, given their past. While they’ve clashed on the court before—remember when Kyrgios called Djokovic “boneheaded” and a “tool”?—the pair’s relationship has evolved.

Following their intense 2022 Wimbledon final, they’ve developed a close friendship, and now they’re teaming up on the doubles court. This will be a great opportunity for both of them as Nick Kyrgios is making his comeback after almost 18 months and Djokovic will be marking his new season after ending his 2024 season with no titles, the first time since 2006.!

Talking about his partnership with the Aussie player, he said, “It’s going to be fun. We texted about it and we spoke earlier in Wimbledon (this year) about playing together when he’s back on tour. We’ve got the first chance right away in the first week of the season.”

Djokovic is seeking greater consistency in his performance. With 99 tour-level titles under his belt, he’s eager to add to his impressive tally. In Brisbane, where he faces Rinky Hijikata in his opening match, Djokovic has the opportunity to become the third ATP player in the Open Era to reach the 100-titles milestone. “But overall, I’ve had more losses and ups and downs in this season than previous seasons, so I’m looking for a good start of the season,” said Djokovic to ATP Tour.

Novak Djokovic and Nick Kyrgios will open the night session against Austrian player Alexander Erler and German player Andreas Mies. Off court, though Novak Djokovic may not always share Nick Kyrgios’ blunt approach, he aligns with his frustration. Nevertheless, will the pair make an impact on the court this season?