Nick Kyrgios: What The ‘Experts’ Think

He was our greatest hope of winning the Australian Open in 2017 until he was eliminated in round two in one of the most comically catastrophic meltdowns. A week and the Australian sporting public are still deciding whether to hate the 21 year old or feel sorry for him.

Kyrgios, who is of Malaysian-Greek descent, was boo’d off centre court following his loss to Italian Andrea Seppi in a five-set thriller. Up two sets to love, he crumbled spectacularly, handing his opponent the match amidst a hail of outbursts, smashed racquets and weird conversations with himself.

The famed American tennis brat and former world number one, John McEnroe, was first to weigh in, blasting Kyrgios during his commentary gig for ESPN. “It’s OK to show your emotions and I’d like to see that in a one-on-one game when you’re out there by yourself. But when he goes through those periods when he’s not competing it’s just a black eye for the sport. And it’s a black eye for him,” he said, referring to a series of points Kyrgios appeared to lose deliberately in the fourth set, in a bid to get straight into the fifth.

If that sounds a bit rich coming from a guy who earned the moniker, the Mac Attack for his endless on-court tirades, let him explain:

“I don’t mind, obviously if you know my history or career at all, someone who’s emotional and goes too far at times and say the wrong things…I don’t condone it, but I certainly understand it better than almost anyone who can talk about tennis. What I don’t understand and don’t accept, is when he starts going into the tank and he stops trying and giving 100 per cent,” he said.

To this sports writer at least, it seemed savvy. I’m no tennis aficionado but Kyrgios’ body was clearly failing him and rather than waste energy on a set he had already lost, he accelerated the decline so he could get on with the fifth. This is called ‘tanking’ and is not in the ‘spirit’ of the game, apparently.

“I would call it overall a damn shame, because I think he’s the most talented guy in the world, maybe aged 29 or under. He could be the best player in the world, but mentally he’s about 200 in the world,” said McEnroe, who has also previously challenged Kyrgios to quit professional tennis over his lacklustre performances and attitude.

American Tennis legend, Andre Agassi was up next on Kyrgios, speaking with the kind of open-hearted humility you might expect from a fellow first-generation migrant (Agassi’s father was a boxer from Armenia via Iran) whose had to build himself up from rock bottom.

“You just never know what journey someone’s been through…Has he ever really had somebody who attempts to understand him? Has he ever ever really felt that he’s worthy enough to be cared about? What is his struggle and what is his angst and what does he feel? Has anybody done anything except bark at him about what he should be versus understanding who it is that he is? Those simple human engagements create a dynamic where you either earn respect or you don’t,” Agassi told AAP via video link up from Las Vegas.

He also pointed to the similarities in their career trajectory.

“I was somebody who cared more than I portrayed because it was my defence. It was my way of hiding myself, from myself, and I needed to come to terms with that through a long, painful process. But obviously that’s being met with a little bit of begrudgement on his own part for one reason or another,” he said.

While not ruling himself out to coach Kyrgios in the future (Kyrgios is looking for a coach), Agassi said the 21-year-old might benefit from talking to the man who turned his life and career around, strength and conditioning guru, Gil Reyes.

“I don’t think anybody’s going to drop wisdom on Nick that changes the trajectory of somebody’s life. Unfortunately life has to be the greatest teacher. Life can strip us, it can humble us and it’s only at those points that we search for something deeper, of more value. When you’re in that place, of course I think a person like Gil can be an incredible asset,” he said.

Ultimately, he saw cause for optimism in Kyrgios.

“When stories like that can turn, somebody like that has the ability to all of a sudden move into new uncharted sort of territory,” Agassi said.

Finally, Australian tennis legend and former Davis Cup coach, John Newcombe, speaking to the Sydney Morning Herald, made the salient point that the mental capitulation was mostly the result of poor physical preparation (something Kyrgios would later agree with).

“I think [on] the physical side he’s just got to get his body into great shape, because he’s a big tall guy and if he doesn’t get the body into shape the limbs are gonna break down,” he said.

“I think they (mental and physical) both come hand in hand. When you get out there and you feel like your body’s breaking down, it could just be breaking down a little bit … and it seemed to me maybe that’s what was happening the other night, it all gets too much for him. It’s ‘oh, I’m not going to be able to live up to the expectations’. So he’s the only guy that can do it. He’s got to make a decision that he’s gonna go out and spend the time. My advice would be to take six weeks off and get your body into great shape,” he said.