Wimbledon 2022 final: Will Aussie sandstorm overpower Siberian blizzard?

“Hopefully I see you Sunday,” Novak Djokovic told Nick Kyrgios earlier this week in an Instagram message.

It was the latest chapter in the surprising “bromance”—Kyrgios’ term—that has formed this season between the Australian and the Serb. Kyrgios used to go out of his way to mock and aggravate Djokovic. The thaw began in January when he made a 180 and offered his solidarity during Djokovic’s days of expulsion from Australia.

Also read: Djokovic vs Kyrgios head-to-head: Who holds the edge?

“It’s real weird,” Kyrgios said, “I think everyone knows there was no love lost there.”

Will Kyrgios’ warming toward Djokovic off the court influence how he plays him on it? These two have met twice, both on hard courts in spring 2017, and both times a fired-up Kyrgios won in two close sets, both with a tiebreaker. Kyrgios has shown energy and emotion in those best-of-three-set contests that he will most likely be unable to repeat in his first Grand Slam final, which will be best-of-five. Djokovic should benefit from this.

Also read: Nick Kyrgios’ road to the Wimbledon 2022 final

Which brings us to our second question: how will Kyrgios respond to playing in a Wimbledon final, with its huge, formal, cut-the-tension-with-a-knife atmosphere? Djokovic has already been through it seven times and has won six of those matches.

“That’s where Djokovic has the advantage from the get-go,” Kyrgios claimed. “He can draw from experience, he’s done it so many more times, he knows the emotions he’s going to be feeling.”

“I feel like I’m just a reckless ball of energy right now,” he added. “I know that I have to kind of just calm down.”

Also read: Novak Djokovic’s road to the Wimbledon 2022 final

Normally, you’d expect Kyrgios to come out firing and Djokovic to ease his way into the match, perhaps dropping the first set, as he did in his quarterfinal and semifinal wins over Jannik Sinner and Cam Norrie, and in last year’s final against Matteo Berrettini. If Kyrgios does not quickly regain his composure, he may blow an opportunity to take an early lead and put instant pressure on Djokovic.

But Djokovic isn’t counting on Kyrgios struggling to acclimate to the situation.

“The experience that I have at this level, playing in the finals against someone that has never played a Grand Slam final, could be slightly in my favor,” Djokovic stated. “But at the same time, knowing who he is and how he goes about his tennis and his attitude on the court, he doesn’t seem to be falling under pressure much.”

Also read: Wimbledon 2022 final: Novak Djokovic distressed by Nick Kyrgios’ serve, says former team member

“He plays lights-out every time he steps out onto the court. Just a lot of power in his serve and his game. So I’m sure he’s going to go for it. No doubt he’s going to be aggressive. I expect him to do that,” Djokovic added.

Kyrgios’ serve will be a punch, and Djokovic’s return will be a counterpunch. It may take some time, but Djokovic will eventually learn to read Kyrgios’ strokes and get his teeth into his service games. Sinner and Norrie had no responses after Djokovic accomplished that in the quarters and semis, and after he eliminated the early anxious blunders from the baseline.

Also read: Nick Kyrgios calls out unsupportive Aussie tennis legends ahead of Wimbledon final

Will Kyrgios? Will he have additional gear, another level of aggression open to him? He has the shot-making ability, and he has done it previously against Djokovic on smaller venues. But Djokovic hasn’t lost at this stage in nine years.

Whatever pandemonium, fireworks, or strange fraternal love occurs throughout the match, it’s difficult to bet against Djokovic repeating his feat.