"There were times when they had to fetch me out of the pub at 4am" - But now Nick Kyrgios wants the Wimbledon title!
Nick Kyrgios has played his way into the quarterfinals of Wimbledon with a fighting performance. He wants to play for victory this time, he later assured.
by Florian Goosmann from Wimbledon
last edit:
Jul 05, 2022, 10:38 am

It wasn't fireworks that Nick Kyrgios ignited against Brandon Nakashima in the Wimbledon round of 16 - but it was all the more amazing that he won in the end. With an unusual tactic: He intentionally gave away the last service game in the fourth round, a "rope-a-dope" tactic, as he explained. This comes from boxing, when you just hang on the ropes and let your opponent do it until he gets tired.
"I wanted to get him out there," said Kyrgios, "that worked." Otherwise he only had compliments for Nakashima.
Anyway, Kyrgios was in a good mood, despite the shoulder problems (a few painkillers had to be) after all the tennis, but he had the feeling that he was dealing with such things much better than before.
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"A lot has changed"
And in general he is different than a few years ago, a time when Kyrgios was also struggling with mental problems. "There was a time when I had to be taken out of the pub at 4am before a match against Nadal in Round 2," said Kyrgios. "A lot has changed," he concluded.
And praised his team for it. He has an "incredible group" around him, his physio is one of his best friends, his best friend is his manager, and "I have the best friend in the world." In his dark times he pushed everyone away from himself. He now feels comfortable in his own skin.
Nick Kyrgios : "Told my people I want the title"
He doesn't care what happened after the Tsitsipas match , "I just laugh about it," explained Kyrgios. However, he also admitted to possessing an elephant memory. "I never forget anything, whether people said it three or four years ago, it sticks with me." And the fact that the press is often critical of him is because no one knows him. "None of you hang out with me" - unlike his buddies Jack Sock, Jordan Thompson or Thanasi Kokkinakis. "So I understand the mixed views." By the way, spending time with him is "great fun," he continued.
And in terms of tennis, Kyrgios actually seems to have planned something for this year's Wimbledon tournament. He now meets Cristian Garin, but a semi-final? Don't be his target. "I told my people at home that this time I want the title." Although he doesn't think about it - rather about his habits, good training, positive thoughts. "I'm just trying to live in the moment."
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