Nick Kyrgios delights fans with a practice session with former rival Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon

Nick Kyrgios and former rival Novak Djokovic have stepped out for a light-hearted practice session at Wimbledon, with the Aussie firebrand targeting a return to action soon.

Kyrgios, who finished as 2022 men's singles runner up to Djokovic, has joined the BBC's punditry team for this year's tournament in South West London, after ruling himself out of competing due to injury.

The 29-year-old has demonstrated his prowess as a pundit while being sidelined, impressing fans during stints with Eurosport during the Australian Open as well as the Tennis Channel.

The Aussie star is targeting a return to action next month and managed to get a hit out with his friend ahead of Djokovic's clash with Australian Alexei Popyrin.

'Feel like a little kid again,' Kyrgios posted to X before stepping onto the court with Djokovic.

The pair joked around during the session, with the Aussie declaring at one point: 'I know your moves, you're just too good.'

The blossoming friendship between Kyrgios and Djokovic appeared unlikely back in 2019, when the former slammed the ten-time Australian Open champion in a New York Times podcast.

'I just feel like he has a sick obsession with wanting to be liked,' Kyrgios said.

 'He just wants to be like Roger. For me personally - I don't care right now, I've come this far - I feel like he just wants to be liked so much that I just can't stand him.'

Two years later, the Canberra-born star unloaded on Djokovic again, condemning his 'boneheaded' decision to hold a tennis charity event in Croatia that led to a number of players contracting Covid-19.

Nowadays, the Aussie and the Serb superstar have a close friendship and tennis fans love to see it.

On Sunday morning, Aussie Alexei Popyrin was allowed to dream for just one set -- until Djokovic dismantled his Centre Court fantasy, leaving Alex de Minaur once more as the only Australian singles survivor at Wimbledon.

Sydneysider Popyrin took the opening stanza off the seven-times champion in scintillating fashion in their third-round rematch, but that was as good as it got.

With rain threatening, the roof was then slid across the sport's greatest tennis arena -- and it caved in on the 24-year-old Aussie's ambitions even as Popyrin still delivered one of the best performances of his career.

Djokovic, wounded knee and all following his meniscus operation a month ago, was somehow able to then conjure up close to his immaculate best as he began to find his range and rhythm and, serving beautifully, powered away to a 4-6 6-3 6-4 7-6 (7-3) win.

Earlier, the title hopes of de Minaur, the nation's No.1, received a major boost as he was given the luxury of a walkover into the last-16 while his rivals continued to be frustrated by the rain. He'll play rising 20-year-old French star Arthur Fils in the fourth round.

The Australian No.1's smooth path eased further after his third-round opponent Lucas Pouille told him he was pulling with a stomach injury an hour and 45 minutes before the start of their match on Saturday.

De Minaur then had the luxury of a relaxing day and chose to watch the rematch of Popyrin versus Djokovic on TV, part two of a saga that began on Rod Laver Arena at the Australian Open in January when the 24-time grand slam winner also prevailed in four sets.

'A very tough match, and I didn't expect anything less. I knew he was going to be coming with a lot of self-belief,' said Djokovic, saluting his valiant opponent.

'He was the better player in the first set, I stepped it up, played a really good second a third, and the fourth was anybody's.

'It was a very challenging match, mentally, to just hang in there.'