The good, the bad, the brilliant – it’s all or nothing for Kyrgios
Wimbledon: After a decade on the world stage, it’s become clear we only have a choice between all of Nick Kyrgios or none of him at all.
The good, the bad, the brilliant, the despicable – for better or worse – is all wrapped up in one single package.
Nick Kyrgios during his fourth-round match against Brandon Nakashima.Credit:AP
And if his round of 16 win at Wimbledon – his first since 2014 when he stormed on the world stage to beat Rafael Nadal – is anything to go by, an increasing number of tennis fans want to choose all.
But this was not the over-the-top, tempestuous Kyrgios performance we have come to hate or love (there is rarely an in between). This was a defiant and mature win, overcoming a shoulder problem that still could jeopardise his chances of reaching his first grand slam semi-final at the age of 27.
Kyrgios – renowned for his brute power and strength – showed all the deft talent and wily gamesmanship of a tour veteran to recover from a set down and clinch the decider against 20-year-old American Brandon Nakashima, winning 4-6 6-4 7-6 (2) 3-6 6-2 to set up a quarter-final against Chile’s Cristian Garin.
In the past nine days, Kyrgios’ colourful on-court antics have captured the imagination of the British sporting public and have only fuelled the Australian’s status as one of the biggest stars in tennis. For his sins and successes, it earned him centre-court billing in front of the fiercest tennis traditionalists.
But Kyrgios wants you to know he’s changed. And he would celebrate qualifying for just his third grand slam quarter-final with a glass of wine, he said.
There was a time not so long ago when he was dragged out of the pub by his manager at 4am ahead of playing the sport’s most successful player, Rafael Nadal, in the second round.
“I’ve come a long way, that’s for sure,” Kyrgios said after the match on Monday morning (AEST).
“I feel like I’m able to stay more composed. Today I was almost just smiling and laughing to myself … just knowing I was locked in an absolute battle. Where in the past I wasn’t able to kind of enjoy.”
“To sit here in the quarter-finals of Wimbledon, feeling good, feeling composed, feeling mature, having that around me, I’m extremely blessed. I feel like I’m just comfortable in my own skin.”
The sport’s greatest showman dialled down his antics to win over a crowd with his composure, grit and calmness. This time he was happy to leave the drama to two of Britain’s finest stars of stage and screen, Mark Rylance and Ian McKellan, who sat in the royal box and stood to applaud the Australian’s stunning performance in the last set.
Things had appeared grim in the third set when Kyrgios was visibly uncomfortable and seen trying to loosen his shoulder between points. After taking painkillers and receiving regular treatment, he managed to move into a two-sets-to-one lead as the match progressed at a rapid pace.
But another twist came when Kyrgios lost his way in the fourth set, as Nakashima, playing well above his world ranking of 56, took full advantage of his opponent’s mistakes.
Kyrgios tanked the final game as he casually returned – even serving underarm on Nakashima’s first set point (which he still won) – but composed himself to run away with the decider.
“I’ve played so much tennis in the last month and a half, so I almost knew that it was time for my body to start feeling some niggles,” he said after his win.
“At this time in the event, I don’t think anyone is feeling 100 per cent. Mentally I feel like I just deal with these things a lot better now.”
Kyrgios sells more tickets than anyone else on the men’s tour outside the long-established popular trio of Nadal, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic. He also increases television ratings and attracts extra media coverage.
Talkback radio, television pundits, social media and comment pages in newspapers have been filled with judgments on his antics after he spat in the direction of a spectator in his first-round match and was fined $14,500 after berating a volunteer female line judge in his third.
He has come to accept that people “just love to just have an opinion”.
“Even though I’m trying new things or trying to be different, you all have an opinion,” he said.
“None of you really know me at all. You only kind of see what you see on the court. It’s always been a bit of a roller coaster. So, I understand how it’s mixed reviews. But I don’t know.”
Ultimately, the one thing all Australians love is a winner. And if he keeps up this rich vein of form, all past sins might soon be forgiven.
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