{"id":300142,"date":"2023-12-13T18:39:04","date_gmt":"2023-12-13T18:39:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sports-life-news.com\/?p=300142"},"modified":"2023-12-13T18:39:04","modified_gmt":"2023-12-13T18:39:04","slug":"seven-time-wimbledon-champion-told-novak-djokovic-would-eat-him-alive","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sports-life-news.com\/tennis\/seven-time-wimbledon-champion-told-novak-djokovic-would-eat-him-alive\/","title":{"rendered":"Seven-time Wimbledon champion told Novak Djokovic would ‘eat him alive’"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Nick Kyrgios believes seven-time Wimbledon champion Pete Sampras would be overwhelmed by Novak Djokovic if the pair faced one another in their prime. The outspoken Australian does not believe stars of previous eras – even all-time greats such as Sampras and Boris Becker – could hold a candle to modern players.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Kyrgios is one of many stars battling to win Grand Slam titles among a competitive field of hyper-athletic superstars leaning on their power game. So how can he call out the likes of Sampras, a 14-time major champion?\u00a0<\/p>\n

Ultimately, Kyrgios does not believe the eras are comparable and that modern stars are far superior. While some may argue developed equipment and heightened understanding of nutrition may be key, Kyrgios cares not – he simply believes 24-time major champion Djokovic would crush\u00a0the likes of Sampras in a match.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not saying they wouldn\u2019t have found their way,\u201d Kyrgios told The Athletic, referring to legends and champions who enjoyed success before the modern game. \u201cBut serve and volley, to do it all the time now, you need to be serving 220, because if you serve anything less than 220, bro, Djokovic eats you alive. He eats you alive.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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\u201cBro, Lleyton Hewitt destroyed Sampras one year at the U.S. Open. That was the first prototype of someone who could return serve.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe made Sampras look like s***. And what would Djokovic do to someone like Sampras? It would be a cleanup. If Hewitt was doing it, Djokovic would destroy him. He would eat him alive.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kyrgios further digressed, adding: \u201cThe game was so slow back then. I\u2019ve watched Boris Becker and I\u2019m not saying they weren\u2019t good in their time, but to say that they would be just as good now, it\u2019s absurd.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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