Nick Kyrgios calls it a bromance; Novak Djokovic is not so sure. Maybe more like a first date. Or a bit of innocent flirting.

Actually, it is a third date for the two finalists. They have played each other twice before and Djokovic has not won a single set. It must mean the relationship has legs: after a start like that, Djokovic must be interested if he is coming back for more.

At the beginning of the week, the Serb even messaged Kyrgios: “Hopefully I'll see you Sunday.” He must be serious.

This affection between the finalists is relatively new. When the pandemic first struck and the tennis Tours shut down, Djokovic organised the ill-fated Adria Tour of the Balkan states.

He did it with the best of intentions – to provide competition for the players and entertainment for the crowds – but with little by way of social distancing, COVID soon spread though the locker room. Both Djokovic and his wife, Jelena, caught the virus.

Back home in Australia, Kyrgios was scathing about the whole affair, taking to social media to offer his views on the Tour (really unimpressed) and Djokovic (really, really unimpressed). Suffice to say, they were not even on speaking terms at that point.

But then Djokovic found himself in trouble at the start of the year. Unvaccinated, he tried to enter Australia for the Open in January. After a week of discussion and negotiation, two court hearings and a spell in a quarantine hotel, he was deported.

The story led the television news; it was splashed across the front pages of every newspaper. Djokovic was alone and friendless in the centre of the media storm.

And then Kyrgios joined in. Explaining that he had been vaccinated “because of others and for my mum’s health”, he tweeted: “How we are handling Novak’s situation is bad, really bad. Like these memes, headlines, this is one of our great champions but at the end of the day, he is human. Do better.”

“When it was really tough for me in Australia,” Djokovic recalled, “he was one of the very few players that came out publicly and supported me and stood by me. That’s something I truly appreciate. So I respect him for that a lot.”

Even so, Djokovic was not sure that theirs was officially a bromance just yet. That said, the thought of facing Kyrgios in the final had whetted his appetite.

“Honestly, as a tennis fan, I’m glad that he’s in the finals because he’s got so much talent,” Djokovic said. “For the quality player that he is, this is where he needs to be, and he deserves to be.”

So far, so good. But what of Sunday?

At his best, Djokovic is ruthless, flawless and brutal. But there have been several occasions in the past two weeks when he has not been at his best and has looked vulnerable.

So far, he has found a way to snap out of his torpor and raise his game – he is the best in the business at that – but he might not be given the chance against Kyrgios.

For all the hype that surrounds his matches, what many tend to overlook is the fact that Kyrgios can play. Oh, my, can he play.

His third round match with Stefanos Tsitsipas is remembered for the animosity between them and the various code violations but, in between the arguments and the flashpoints, Kyrgios was playing some sensational tennis.

Whether he can do so again in the final (preferably without the dust-ups with the umpire) will, Djokovic thinks, come down to experience.

The Serb has lots of it – this is his 32nd Grand Slam final and his eighth at Wimbledon – and Kyrgios, playing his first major final, doesn’t.

“The more you experience these kind of situations, the more prepared you feel,” Djokovic said. “You know what to expect.

“It’s always really about handling your own nerves better than maybe your opponent is his own. This internal battle is always the greatest.

“For me, arguably it’s on a different level because I have to deal with different things that are also off the court, the crowd being maybe on the side of my opponents most of the times. This is something that throughout my career I’ve been used to.”

Whatever the outcome on Sunday, it is clear that beneath the bluff and bluster, there is genuine respect on both sides for the other’s talent.

But if Kyrgios beats Djokovic, don’t expect the two to go out and celebrate together, hand in hand. Well, not unless Nick buys Novak dinner first…

Click here to join myWimbledon for a range of exclusive benefits, including access to tickets and the ability to personalise your digital experience with us.

Following along from home this year?

You can still experience the classic Wimbledon atmosphere on the Virtual Hill, presented by our Official Partner American Express.