Fire in the Cathedral between Djokovic and Kyrgios

— It was hard for you to say something nice about me... [laughs]

— But I defended you when it was really necessary!

“You did and I appreciate it.

The Serbian journalist Sasa Ozmo, who has been following Novak Djokovic's footsteps to the millimeter in recent years, in one corner of the world and another, is witness to a crossroads that at other times would have been resolved between challenging looks and who knows if someone who another insult.

Sparks guaranteed.

But the day before the Wimbledon grand final (3:00 p.m., #Vamos), Nick Kyrgios reacts to Nole's passing with a friendly wink, something unthinkable because until January of this year the Balkan was constantly under attack by the Australian, who he described as "useless", said he had "no respect" for him and that the former number one "has an unhealthy obsession with being loved".

However, everything changed the day that Kyrgios distanced himself from the vast majority of players and spoke in favor of Djokovic, arrested and deported in Australia as a result of the notorious episode at the beginning of the year.

“It looks like he's a weapon of mass destruction.

The mistreatment of the people of Melbourne these two years has been atrocious ”, exposed the one from Canberra, controversial like no other in these modern times and who seems to have definitively buried the hatchet, despite the fact that both are measured today in a final of very high flights, much celebrated by fans because it guarantees quality and spectacle.

More information

'Disorder is Kyrgios' trick', by TONI NADAL

"Now we have a kind of

[something like a close relationship between two men, but without sex], which is a bit weird," explains Kyrgios;

“I think we all know that for a while there was no love between us, but I was practically the only player who defended him when the Australian Open happened, and that's when you earn respect;

That is not achieved on the track, but when you experience a real crisis and you see that someone defends you.

Now we send messages on Instagram and everything is weird.

Everything is rare, and also temporary.

At the moment in which one and the other put the first foot in the Cathedral, there will be no social network that prevents the fire.

Fireworks are coming in the men's resolution of the great British, which initially offers a very unbalanced poster in the preamble: they are the 20 greats, the endless records and all the mystique of Djokovic against the most unstable tennis player, who also debuts in a grand finale and hasn't won a single trophy in three years.

Just theory.

Right now, few would put their hand to guarantee a victory for the Serbian, defeated the two times they met previously (Acapulco and Indian Wells, both in 2017) and who has not offered his most brilliant level either on the track towards this last episode.

In contrast, London encourages the best Kyrgios.

Swell and styles

"In the Grand Slams you have to surf waves and stop the blows," says the oceanic, 27 years old and 40th in the world;

as reflected by the numbers, the player who has recorded the most wins on the grass-court tour, with 12 wins and only two losses.

"There are times when I hate this sport, but I am competitive," adds the applicant, aware that he can become the successor of the famous and fierce Lleyton Hewitt, the last compatriot who raised a

.

He did it 20 years ago, precisely at the All England, where he can also become the tennis player with the

he wins since Goran Ivanisevic, the Serbian coach, in 2001, as the 125th.

It won't be easy for sure.

It started crooked – a spit on a spectator, a shared

with Stefanos Tsitsipas, a complaint of mistreatment by his ex-partner and the challenge to the dress code with his colored caps, his Celtics jerseys and his Air Jordans – but he decided Get serious and your game prevails.

He also found an unexpected blow in the forced farewell of Rafael Nadal and, therefore, he arrives fresh.

However, Djokovic is backed by history, his 32 major finals (record, one ahead of Roger Federer) and his dreamlike resume in London, where he has lifted the title six times;

if he does it again today, he will match William Renshaw and, above all, the closest reference to Pete Sampras.

Of profoundly divergent styles, the Cartesian tennis of one and the wonderful chaos of the other, now they hit it off and the fan rubs his hands together.

“I don't know if I'd call it

, but we're certainly better off.

He stood up for me and supported me when no one else did, and I appreciate that.

I respect him ”, Nole closes before the pyrotechnic outcome this afternoon.

120 'ACES' VS.

27 WINS IN A ROW

BC |

London

In addition to the hierarchy, Djokovic proposes in advance an extraordinary winning streak in London.

The Serb has not lost a match since July 12, 2017, when he had to withdraw in the quarterfinals of the tournament due to injury.

From there, he three summits and 27 consecutive triumphs.

This edition he has defeated Soon-Woo Kwon, Thanasi Kokkinakis, Miomir Kecmanovic, Tim van Rijthoven, Jannik Sinner and Cameron Norrie.

On the track he has left five

.

An accomplished analyst and strategist, he warns of the danger of the other finalist.

“His serve is fluid and powerful.

It is difficult to read it”, he describes;

“He can open angles and be aggressive or stay in the back, but always a meter ahead of the line.

Experience at this level may go slightly in my favor.

I am very aware of what is at stake, but there is no guarantee because many things can happen in a final”.

Kyrgios, for his part, will have the favor of the stands and comes with an intimidating statistic on serve.

So far he has hit 120

;

that is, an average of 24 per game.

In this sense, he leads the section ahead of John Isner (116) and Taylor Fritz (77).

His peak speed has been 220 kilometers per hour.

“There is one thing that is certain: win or lose, I will leave happy.

I never thought I could be here, but now I have a chance”, he underlines.

The last debutant in a grand final to become champion was Marin Cilic.

The Croatian beat Japan's Kei Nishikori to win the 2014 US Open at the age of 25.

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