Australia's Nick Kyrgios during his first round victory against Portugal's Frederico Ferreira Silva in Melbourne. Reuters
Australia's Nick Kyrgios during his first round victory against Portugal's Frederico Ferreira Silva in Melbourne. Reuters
Australia's Nick Kyrgios during his first round victory against Portugal's Frederico Ferreira Silva in Melbourne. Reuters
Australia's Nick Kyrgios during his first round victory against Portugal's Frederico Ferreira Silva in Melbourne. Reuters

'He's a very strange cat': Nick Kyrgios returns serve in Novak Djokovic feud


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Nick Kyrgios has hit back at criticism from Novak Djokovic, describing the world No 1 as "a very strange cat" after the Serb said he had little respect for the Australian off court.

Kyrgios has waged a running battle with Djokovic, sparked by the Serb's ill-fated Adria Tour exhibition series last year as the coronavirus pandemic raged.

Djokovic said in Melbourne over the weekend he had mixed views on Kyrgios, who recently called him a "tool", respecting his tennis abilities but not his off-court antics.

"It's a strange one for me. I read his comments - he said he doesn't respect me off the court," said Kyrgios, who has also previously blasted the 17-time Grand Slam winner as having "an obsession with wanting to be liked".

"It actually would make complete sense to me if he was like, '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 that I've done in the past.

"I'm not quite sure how you can't respect me off the court," he added.

"I feel like I've gone about things extremely well, especially during the pandemic."

Kyrgios said during his time away from the game last year, he delivered food to people in need and was ultra careful to abide by Covid-19 regulations, opting not to travel for the US and French Opens.

"I actually do a lot off the court," he said.

Novak Djokovic watches the first round match between Filip Krajinovic of Serbia and Robin Haase of the Netherlands during day two of the Australian Open. Getty
Novak Djokovic watches the first round match between Filip Krajinovic of Serbia and Robin Haase of the Netherlands during day two of the Australian Open. Getty

"But he's a very strange cat, Novak is. A heck of a tennis player, but unfortunately someone who's partying with his shirt off during a global pandemic, I don't know if I can take any slack from that man."

Djokovic's Adria Tour was organised to fill the gap in the virus-hit tennis calendar last year, but was widely criticised for a lack of mask-wearing and social-distancing.

The Serb was among several players seen partying at a packed Belgrade night club despite the threat from the virus.

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• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”

• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems

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• Landfill gas is composed of 50 per cent methane

• Methane is 28 times more harmful than Co2 in terms of global warming

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Uefa Men's Player of the Year: Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool)

Uefa Women's Player of the Year: Lucy Bronze (Lyon)

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Milestones on the road to union

1970

October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar. 

December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.

1971

March 1:  Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.

July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.

July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.

August 6:  The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.

August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.

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November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.

November 29:  At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.

November 30: Despite  a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa. 

November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties

December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.

December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.

December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.

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