Why 'more mature' Nick Kyrgios says he's ready for Wimbledon glory
Nick Kyrgios’ emotional and physical Wimbledon rollercoaster has brought Australian sport’s most polarizing personality to the finals.
Key points:
- Kyrgios could become Australia’s 16th Wimbledon men’s singles champion on Sunday
- If he wins, he will become Australia’s first men’s champion since Hewitt in 2002
- She says she intends and is finally ready to give her tennis potential
Despite his high expectations, even Kyrgios could hardly believe he would become the first player to qualify for the men’s title match nine days after being locked in a tense five-set struggle in his tournament opener with Britain’s world number 219 Paul Jubb.
But Rafael Nadal’s dramatic withdrawal with a tear in the stomach ahead of what Kyrgios predicts will be “the most-watched game of all time” has given the 27-year-old a dream chance to make his name in the tennis history books. .
Kyrgios will play top seeded six-time champion Novak Djokovic or British world number 12 Cameron Norrie on Sunday.
He will bid to join Australian legends Norman Brookes, Gerald Patterson, Jack Crawford, Frank Sedgman, Lew Hoad, Ashley Cooper, Neale Fraser, Rod Laver, Roy Emerson, John Newcombe, Pat Cash and Lleyton Hewitt on the men’s singles honors board.
If he becomes Australia’s first men’s champion since Hewitt in 2002, Kyrgios will also set an unexpected and colorful addition to Ash Barty’s unforgettable win 12 months ago.
Even Kyrgios imagined his “ship has sailed” before the mysterious star – who has been cursed for so long as a wasted talent – finally reached his first grand slam semifinals on Wednesday with a win over Chile’s Cristian Garín.
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But the immensely talented entertainer from Canberra says after moving into the top four that he intends — and finally feels ready — to realize his rich potential.
“I just feel like I’m more mature,” Kyrgios said.
“At the start of my career if I was third, fourth or quarter-final, I would use my phone a lot.
“I’m going to be getting a lot involved online, wanting to go out to dinner and exploring or just doing stuff sort of, not necessarily drowning in accomplishments, but just not being conservative just going back to my house at Wimbledon with my team, getting off the ground, getting treatment and eat, rest well.
“I think everyone has the same goals in my team. That’s why it works. We all know what we have to do here.
“I let them know that I want to go quite far here and maybe even lift a trophy. I have made it quite well known.
“I feel like it’s really as simple as taking a break. Like, ‘Nick, stay home’.
“It hasn’t always been the easiest thing for me during my career.”
Just a few months ago Kyrgios opened up publicly about his “suicidal thoughts” and wanted to at least quit tennis altogether.
He now looked very content, even with the court date hanging over his head.
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Nearly 24 hours before his first grand slam quarter-final in seven-and-a-half years on Wednesday, Kyrgios was summoned to face a Canberra court on assault charges believed to involve his ex-girlfriend Chiara Passari.
Kyrgios plows up front in his pursuit of Wimbledon glory, saying after years of anxiety he is now comfortable in his own skin.
“I feel as though, with anything these days, people are very afraid to open up their feelings,” Kyrgios said.
“For me, it’s mental health, of course. I personally don’t think that Nick Kyrgios can feel what I felt years ago, obviously with dark thoughts, self-harm.
“If I wasn’t Nick Kyrgios, I would have unlocked it sooner.
“I feel if people anonymously tell you how they feel, they will often do. People will be more open.
“I mean, I want to be an ambassador for people to be themselves no matter who you are, feel good in your own skin, believe in yourself.
“I don’t want people to hide anymore. It’s okay to be what color you are, whatever. Just be yourself.”
On Sunday, Nick Kyrgios became himself suddenly able to become Australia’s 16th Wimbledon men’s singles champion.
AAP/ABC
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