Nick Kyrgios called for bitter rival Rafael Nadal to join him for an Instagram Live chat which is becoming commonplace between tennis’ top stars over recent weeks.
World No 1 Novak Djokovic has regularly conversed with other icons, such as Andy Murray and Maria Sharapova.
Perhaps the most notable Instagram Live call since the lockdown started is the 10 minutes Nadal spent talking to Federer while broadcasting to over 40,000 viewers.
Controversial Australian Kyrgios has also been taking part in live calls but he wants rival Nadal to join him.
Kyrgios regularly mocks the Spaniard and the two have played out some heated matches over the last year.
“Rafa lets do Instagram live together,” the world No 40 wrote on Instagram. “I am down with it. Rafael Nadal let’s do it.”
But Nadal is not too keen on speaking to the ace who has beaten him in three of their eight meetings.
“I don’t mind doing a live with Nick but there’s a generational gap and he might have more fun with someone closer to his age and style,” Nadal told La Voz de Galicia.
The pair have been at war since Kyrgios labelled the 19-time Grand Slam winner “super-salty” on the No Challenges Remaining podcast last year.
“He’s my polar opposite, like literally my polar opposite,” Kyrgios said.
“And he’s super salty. Every time I’ve beaten him… when he wins, it’s fine. He won’t say anything bad, he’ll credit the opponent, ‘He was a great player’.
“But as soon as I beat him, it’s just like, ‘He has no respect for me, my fans and no respect to the game’.
“And I’m like, ‘What are you talking about? I literally played this way when I beat you the other previous times and nothing changed … When you beat me in Rome here a couple of years ago, nothing changed; I was the same person’.”
And Nadal admitted at the Australian Open earlier this year that he may not see eye-to-eye with the 25-year-old.
“I don’t know [if I like him],” Nadal said. “I don’t know him personally, honestly, to have a clear opinion.
“It’s clear, of course, that when he does stuff that in my opinion is not good, I don’t like.”
