Nick Kyrgios has shut down rumours that he is retiring in recent days, but the Australian has confirmed that he will not be making himself available for the Paris Olympic Games.

Kyrgios has been out of action for the majority of the past 15 months, struggling with knee, foot and wrist injuries that have enabled him to play only one tour match in that time.

However, it seems that the 2022 Wimbledon finalist is on the road to recovery, with Kyrgios speaking about his comeback while acting as a commentator during the Australian Open.

That being said, it does not seem likely that Kyrgios will be heading to the Paris for the Olympics in July, with the 28-year-old seemingly still annoyed about his ban from the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro.

At the time, Chef de Miller Kitty Chiller had claimed that ‘Kyrgios doesn’t really understand what it means to be an Australian Olympian’, who was the top ranked singles men’s player at the time.

This lead to Kyrgios withdrawing from the Games and releasing this statement against the Australian Olympic Committee [AOC], “Representing Australia at the Olympic Games has been a dream of mine since I was a kid. Playing in the Olympics was a goal this year; I planned my tournament schedule around Rio and made sure to fulfil my Olympic eligibility.

“Unfortunately, while I have expressed every intention of trying to win a medal for my country in Rio, it’s very clear to me that the Australian Olympic Committee has other plans.”

That's the one! @NickKyrgios#AusOpen • #AO2024 pic.twitter.com/V8o4VLgbov

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 23, 2024

And now he has confirmed that he will not be heading to Paris, citing similar reasons to eight years ago, “One thing I will guarantee, though, is that if I am fit and ready to play, I won’t be making myself available for the Olympics.”

Kyrgios continued, “The way I was treated by the Australian Olympic Committee and former Chef de Mission Kitty Chiller will never be forgotten. To ban me from playing at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games was a disgrace.

“I was No.13 at the time and had a genuine chance at winning a medal. For them to forbid me from representing my country for behavioural reasons is something that I just can’t forget.”

Kyrgios has never competed at the Olympics and will be 33-years-old when the Los Angeles Games come around, but has revealed that his ‘mentality has changed’.

“Eight years ago, I was desperate to represent Australia at an Olympic Games, but my mentality has changed,” said Kyrgios. “I wanted to play for my country, I can’t say that I still have that desire. And let’s be honest, I haven’t exactly felt like Australia has wanted me to represent it either. I’ve said before, I often feel more at home away from home.”

The post Nick Kyrgios reveals he ‘won’t be available’ for Paris Olympics branding previous ban ‘a disgrace’ appeared first on Tennishead.

Nick Kyrgios has hit back at rumours that he is nearing the end of his career, following an interview where the Australian discussed his post-tennis options.

Kyrgios has only played one match in the past 15 months, losing in straight sets to Yibing Wu in Stuttgart, after struggling with knee, ankle and wrist injuries.

The 2022 Wimbledon finalist has been exploring other avenues in the meantime, including commentating for EuroSport and ESPN during the Australian Open.

And he has discussed his future aspirations when speaking to The Age, “It’s a conversation that needed to be had. I’m at a crossroads in my career and have reached a point where life after tennis is a prospect that excites me.”

Kyrgios continued, “It’s why my manager brought it up. He said, ‘This could be you from now on if you want it to be’. I could travel the world making really good money commentating on the sport, doing things like I am now with my talk show interviewing guys like Gordon Ramsay and Mike Tyson.

“That’s a life people wish they had. Even the players on the circuit would love to be doing what I am doing now, but they have a different way of thinking.”

The line that got lots of people talking from Kyrgios was, “There is a part of me that knows my time in the sport may be over. And I’m okay with that”.

However, the 28-year-old has now responded to these rumours on Instagram, making it very clear that his career is far from over.

“Attention…I am not retiring,” announced Kyrgios. “Please don’t spread this garbage. I’m coming back and will be lighting up courts soon.”

“I have woken up today and realised about some articles going around and saying that I am retired and that I’m not going to play anymore. I just want to just clear it up, it’s absolute nonsense.”

The Aussie concluded, “Yes, the last year has been tough with injury, my knee, my wrist, but I’m hungry as ever, constantly rehabbing, in the gym. Part of the reason why I am commentating and doing all these things around AO [Australian Open] is to still feel that fire and still be a part of it. So I still wanted to let everyone know, all my fans I’m coming back, stay tuned, but there’s plenty left in the tank. Don’t stress.”

It is still unclear as to when Kyrgios will officially be returning, with the seven-time title winner still on commentary duty for the remainder of his home major.

Inside the baseline…

It must have been a very frustrating past 15 months for Nick Kyrgios, who has faced setback after setback in terms of injuries after the best year of his career. Kyrgios was never likely to play late into his thirties, so it would be surprising if he had too many years left in his career, but the Aussie has made it clear that there is still some fire in his belly to return to the matchcourt.

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The post Nick Kyrgios labels retirement rumours as ‘garbage’ appeared first on Tennishead.

Novak Djokovic has been backed to add ‘at least’ three or four Grand Slam titles to his already record-breaking tally, with Nick Kyrgios suggesting that the Serb currently has his eye on Margaret Court’s record.

Djokovic has made his way into the second week of the Australian Open once again, as he bids for a historic 25th Grand Slam title.

This would enable the 36-year-old to move ahead of Margaret Court, as the player with the most singles Grand Slam titles in history, and Kyrgios has heaped praise on Djokovic labelling him ‘the greatest of all time’.

“But I mean the greatest of all time is definitely Novak, but that doesn’t mean – if I said who would I want to go out there and want to watch, Roger Federer is the nicest to watch, he’s the most talented, makes the game look effortless, like the Michael Jordan of tennis,” Kyrgios told Eurosport.

“Without Roger would there have been a Novak, a Nadal, someone to chase but statistics you know, it’s hard to have a conversation anymore.”

The Australian added, “He’s the most complete player, on all surfaces as well, because [Rafael] Nadal is dominant on one surface whereas Novak has had that pretty much everywhere. Just the ability to redirect, I think is so underrated. That’s one thing I felt playing him, he could just change direction on anything I hit and when you put it to him it’s high percentage, it’s crazy.”

31 – Novak Djokovic is the second player to win more than 30 consecutive Singles match at the Australian Open in the Open Era after Monica Seles (33 consecutive wins between 1991 and 1999). Wave.#ausopen | @AustralianOpen @atptour pic.twitter.com/vmCS7DkFwQ

— OptaAce (@OptaAce) January 19, 2024

Djokovic has openly admitted that he will keep playing as long as he can still compete with the top players, and Kyrgios has predicted what the rest of the Serb’s career could look like.

“I think he wins at least another three or four Grand Slams, at least. I’m guessing a couple more 500s, Masters events. He’ll get there,” said Kyrgios.

He continued, “I mean until I start seeing a player beating him consistently at the Slams. I mean [Jannik] Sinner beat him a couple of times in Davis Cup and then at the ATP finals but until he starts losing consecutive Slams, there are a couple of bad beat downs then he goes into every event in my eyes as favourite.

“I think [Margaret Court’s record] is in the back of his mind, I think he outright wants to have the most of all time, the gold medal is a big one for him as well. I think he wants to have absolutely every accolade when he finishes. But I think he enjoys just becoming a better version of himself as well.”

Novak Djokovic will look to move towards the first of those three or four predicted Grand Slams, when he plays Adrian Mannarino tomorrow in Melbourne.

Inside the baseline…

Novak Djokovic is very open about how much records mean to him at this stage of his career, with Grand Slams and the Olympics probably the two biggest targets for the Serb in 2024. As crazy as 27/28 Grand Slam singles titles sounds, it does not seem like an outrageous prediction from Nick Kyrgios, who knows just what it’s like to play Djokovic in a recent Grand Slam final.

You can watch the Australian Open live on Eurosport and Discovery+.

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The post Novak Djokovic ‘wins at least another three or four Grand Slams’ claims Nick Kyrgios appeared first on Tennishead.

Nick Kyrgios has responded to Pat Cash’s claims that ‘Australian crowds have got a little out of control’, with the 2022 Wimbledon finalist branding it a ‘stupid comment’.

Kyrgios has only played one professional match in the last 14 months, as he misses his home Grand Slam for a second consecutive year.

The 28-year-old will still be part of the Australian Open though, as he has been recruited for both Eurosport and ESPN’s commentary teams.

Welcome, Nick Kyrgios! ?

The tennis star will join Eurosport’s world-class commentary team at the 2024 Australian Open ???@NickKyrgios | @discoveryplusUK | #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/M57SrQnzcU

— Eurosport (@eurosport) January 8, 2024

Ahead of the first major of 2024, his compatriot and 1987 Wimbledon champion Pat Cash has suggested that Australian crowds ‘should have more respect’.

“I think the Australian crowds in the last 10 years have got a little out of control,” Cash told ABC TV. “Cheer on your countrymen, no problems, but they’re not representing your country, they’re individual and I think we need to understand that.

“We should have more respect for the international players that come over here. We’ve got to also accept that if it goes too far, there’s a chance that these players will say, ‘I’m not going to come to Australia anymore. I go there and I get abused, what’s the point of that?'”

And now Kyrgios has responded to these claims when speaking to Daily Mail Australia, “Absolutely stupid comment by another old head that has no idea how marketing or how things work in today’s day and age.”

He continued, “You need entertainment. This generation doesn’t have a long attention span. That’s why you see clips on Instagram rolling. They’re 15-20 seconds long.

“Someone like Pat Cash wouldn’t be able to grasp that concept. And I’m not taking anything away from Pat Cash. Incredible player of his generation, but we need to continue to make the sport grow for fans everywhere.”

The last time that Kyrgios played at the Australian Open was in 2022, when he won the doubles title alongside Thanasi Kokkinakis.

In that same year, Ash Barty became the first Australian woman to win the singles title in 44 years, in what became her final match before announcing her shock retirement.

Barty beating Danielle Collins attracted a peak viewership of 4.2 million people, compared to Kyrgios and Kokkinakis’ final peak of 3.15 million people.

Kyrgios has suggested he adds these viewers due to his ‘entertainment value’, calling Cash old and ‘stuck in his ways’, “We need the crowds to feel part of the sport. We need entertainment. We need people having beers and the players loving it. We need human interaction. We’re human, not robots. We need it to be like that.

“That year was incredible. Ash Barty was playing some of the best tennis in her career. She won the Grand Slam. Me and Thanasi won the Grand Slam. And it was the highest viewership. That’s not by coincidence. It was Ash putting on a hell of a show with her quality of tennis, and Thanasi and I were doing it a different way.”

The former No.13 added, “With everything I do on and off the court, entertainment value, putting eyes on this. It just makes everyone else more money in the sport. That’s all it does. And if Pat Cash can’t see that – stubborn, old, stuck in his ways.”

Inside the baseline…

Nick Kyrgios never holds back his opinions as a player, and now he has been given a platform to express those they are likely to only get louder. It is undoubtedly true that Kyrgios attracts a different type of audience to tennis, a lot of those who are not that interested in the sport itself. That being said, he should probably have some more respect for his predecessors, as some of his comments about the likes of Pat Cash and Boris Becker are just disrespectful.

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Nick Kyrgios has hit out at the ATP following a wrist injury sustained by Novak Djokovic and has called for action to be taken regarding the constant change of ball on tour.

The issue has been at the heart of debate on the men’s tour in recent times – an issue which forces players to alter their approach weekly to adapt to the different balls on offer at tournaments which has led to an increased number of injuries.

Change of balls every week finally got to novaks wrist ? the atp really need to do something about this problem. Players suffer all the time ??

— Nicholas Kyrgios (@NickKyrgios) January 3, 2024

The World No.1 himself even cited a need for action during his campaign at the Davis Cup Finals, while Grand Slam champions Daniil Medvedev and Carlos Alcaraz were also among those to air their concerns at the back end of last year.

Djokovic suffered his first defeat in Australia in 43 matches after a 6-4 6-4 loss at the hands of world No.12 Alex De Minaur in the United Cup play-offs on Wednesday morning. This might be the least of his worries though, as the Serb’s injury comes at a distasteful time with the Australian Open just a few weeks out.

Australia advanced to the semi-finals of the United Cup via a dominant 6-1 6-1 display from Ajla Tomljanovic over Natalija Stevanovic to back up the biggest win of De Minaur’s career to date.

Following his straight sets loss, Novak Djokovic said: “It [the wrist injury] did have quite an impact, particularly on the forehand and serve.

“But I don’t want to spend too much time talking about it and taking away credit from [Alex] De Minaur.”

The defending champion did, however, remain in high spirits as he looks ahead to his year’s Australian Open.

He added: “I hope I will not be injured this time around.

“We’re going to work on getting my body in the right shape and optimal state so that I can perform at a high level throughout the entire Australian Open.”

Inside the baseline…

Despite Djokovic playing it down, his wrist does seem to be hindering his performance. The Serb’s success on Australian soil has been a bankable feature over the past five years and a scare at this stage of the season comes at a very worrying time for him and his fans. The 24-time major champion will be closely monitoring the state of his wrist as he continues his preparations for the Aussie Open and this may see him pull out of the Adelaide International next week as a precaution. At 36, Djokovic is chasing yet more history and a wrist niggle like this won’t boost his hopes of completing a calendar slam – one of the few records he is yet to break.

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The post Nick Kyrgios hits out at ATP amid Novak Djokovic injury scare appeared first on Tennishead.

Nick Kyrgios has responded to Boris Becker, after the German suggested that he should be more grateful to former legends who paved the way for the ATP Tour of today.

Kyrgios has been out of action for the majority of 2023, having played only one match after struggling with a knee, foot and wrist injury.

However, the Australian has still been offering his opinions on the sport, both on social media and on his recent appearances as a commentator for Tennis Channel.

Good day 1 ??? https://t.co/ap4R2Nqhif

— Nicholas Kyrgios (@NickKyrgios) November 15, 2023

When recently speaking to The Athletic, Kyrgios ignited a feud with Becker after claiming that the ‘game was so slow’ when he was playing, “The game was so slow back then. I’ve watched Boris Becker and I’m not saying they weren’t good in their time, but to say that they would be just as good now, it’s absurd.”

Becker responded to Kyrgios when speaking to Eurosport, claiming that the 2022 Wimbledon finalist needs to ‘have respect for the past’, “We live in a democracy. Everyone can think what he wants. You have to have respect for the past and simply say ‘thank you’ out loud that these old pros existed, because without them the tennis circus would no longer exist.”

The 56-year-old continued, “Let me start with Australia. Rod Laver, Ken Rosewall, John Newcombe, Ken Roach – the gladiators of the Australian tennis scene. Then I have to mention Patrick Rafter and Lleyton Hewitt. They were all number one, they won Grand Slam tournaments.

“I go further in the generational question and say: 70s, John McEnroe, Jimmy Connors, Bjorn Borg, then Ivan Lendl came along. They popularised the sport, they drew viewers to the television,” Becker said. “You can see the result today. There has never been so much prize money, there has never been so much publicity as there is today. And that’s because of the legends.

“I did play a bit in the 80s, but there was [Stefan] Edberg, [Mats] Wilander. The 90s were {Andre] Agassi, [Pete] Sampras. All these players make it possible for Nick Kyrgios not to play tennis at all this year and still be able to make a living from tennis.”

Kyrgios has earned a total of $12,486,696 in career prize money, and has replied to Becker on social media claiming that he has ‘brought million more fans to the sport’.

“Bro what I’ve been one of the FEW PLAYERS that have brought million more fans to the sport and have made more money for everyone,” claimed the 28-year-old. “NETFLIX…. Don’t remember seeing Boris on there guy is ridiculous. I’ve made my career off the court without the help of the others.”

Nick Kyrgios responded to Boris Becker's comments suggesting that he needs to show respect to the legends of the game ?@NickKyrgios | #atptour pic.twitter.com/BWEtOZBFoE

— Eurosport (@eurosport) December 19, 2023

Kyrgios continued his response, including an implied dig about Becker’s recent time in prison, “Uhhh what? I’ve been arguably one of the most watched players outside the big three the last decade? Fans around the world and have brought so many more people to the sport. I’ve created my own stuff off the court. Try to not hide any more assets x”

Uhhh what? I’ve been arguably one of the most watched players outside the big three the last decade? Fans around the world and have brought so many more people to the sport. I’ve created my own stuff off the court. Try to not hide any more assets x https://t.co/PABiwrEYGY

— Nicholas Kyrgios (@NickKyrgios) December 19, 2023

Inside the baseline…

It is unsurprising that Nick Kyrgios is wanting to have the last word in this argument, as he has often been outspoken during his time in the limelight. Both have an argument to an extent, as previous legends have definitely enabled the sport to get where it is today and Kyrgios certainly brings a new audience to tennis.

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The post Nick Kyrgios claims he has ‘brought million more fans’ as Boris Becker feud continues appeared first on Tennishead.

Boris Becker has furiously hit out at Nick Kyrgios after the Australian claimed former greats would get ‘destroyed’ by modern players.

Becker won six Grand Slam titles in his career and was a master a serve and volley, a style of tennis that was dominant at the time.

Pete Sampras was another brilliant champion who used the style, plundering 14 majors, but Kyrgios does not believe such players would thrive in modern conditions. Boris Becker, understandably, is not happy at all about it.

“Nick makes a lot of noise about tennis lately,” Becker wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “Why does he speak about a sport he apparently hates?

“Fact-check: Nick has never won a major championship as a player or coach (yes, one doubles) so where is any credibility coming from?

“Trying to compare generations… Laver v Federer, Borg v Nadal , Sampras v Djokovic!?! I am not even gonna mention McEnroe, Conners, Lendl Agassi, Courier, Edberg, Wilander, Kuerten, Bruguera, Rafter, Hewitt and many more …speak to your Only Fans  (referring to Kyrgios’ new social media platform) about many things but tennis!”

After having his say, though, Becker did relent a little from the counter-attack and took the time to wish Kyrgios a smooth return from injury.

“I wish Nick a speedy full recovery and can’t wait to see him back on a tennis court! He is an exciting player when he is fit.

“He has got a Grand Slam in his bag but you have to do the talking on the court. Good luck!”

Nick makes a lot of noise about tennis lately!?! Why does he speak about a sport he apparently hates …fact-check Nick has never won a major championship as a player or coach( yes doubles 1) so where is any credibility coming from ? Trying to compare generations… Laver v Federer… https://t.co/i76kasQnBk

— Boris Becker (@TheBorisBecker) December 13, 2023

What did Nick Kyrgios say to rile Boris Becker?

We all know that Kyrgios is not exactly a stranger to a social media dust-up. He has had numerous over the years so it’s no surprise to see another.

This particular one stems from comments that Kyrgios made in The Athletic in which he claimed that modern greats would ‘destroy’ their counterparts from previous years – Becker included.

“The game was so slow back then,” Kyrgios said. “I’ve watched Boris Becker and I’m not saying they weren’t good in their time, but to say that they would be just as good now, it’s absurd.

“A big serve back then was like 197 to 200 KM/H. People like me, we serve 220 consistently, to corners. It’s a whole different ball game.

“I’m not saying they wouldn’t have found their way. But serve and volley, to do it all the time now, you need to be serving 220, because if you serve anything less than 220, Djokovic eats you alive.

“He eats you alive. Lleyton Hewitt destroyed Sampras one year at the U.S. Open. That was the first prototype of someone who could return serve. He made Sampras look like sh*t.

“And what would Djokovic do to someone like Sampras? It would be a clean-up. If Hewitt was doing it, Djokovic would destroy him. He would eat him alive.”

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The post Boris Becker slams Nick Kyrgios, saying he has no ‘credibility’ in tennis appeared first on Tennishead.

Nick Kyrgios has stated that he only wants to play for one or two more years, with the Australian confessing that he is ‘tired’ after an injury-stricken season.

Kyrgios has only played one match in 2023, in Stuttgart, losing in straight sets to Yibing Wu before withdrawing from the remainder of the season with a wrist injury.

The 28-year-old had missed the start of this season due to a cyst caused by a tear in his lateral meniscus, that he later underwent arthroscopic surgery on.

And after confirming that he would be missing his home major next year, the Australian Open, Kyrgios told the On Purpose with Jay Shetty podcast how he feels about his career.

“If it was up to me, I don’t really want to play any more to be honest,” revealed Kyrgios. “I have to [keep playing]. I’ve got so much more to give but, for me, I don’t feel like playing any more.”

He continued, “I’m tired. I have had three surgeries now. I’m only 28 years old, I always wanted to have a family and not be in pain. When I get up, I can’t walk without pain. It’s a tough gig.”

Due to being inactive on the ATP Tour, Kyrgios has fallen off the rankings entirely and is thinking about how he would like to finish his career.

“I only want to play for about another one to two years, be at the top, and go down my own terms,” said the 2022 Wimbledon finalist. “I would hate to have another surgery or anything like that. I think I’ve still got the ability to have a good one to two years and then that’s it.

“I think I’ll be at peace with everything I’ve achieved and I’m going to have to just say to everyone out there who wants me to play more, ‘you’re just going to have to be OK with me not playing any more’.”

Good day 1 ??? https://t.co/ap4R2Nqhif

— Nicholas Kyrgios (@NickKyrgios) November 15, 2023

Inside the baseline…

Kyrgios’ potential has never been in doubt, however his dedication to the sport has always been up for question. It did seem like 2022 was a turning point in his career, but injuries may have put him a few steps back once again as he considers the end of his tennis career.

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The post Nick Kyrgios: I don’t really want to play any more to be honest appeared first on Tennishead.

Nick Kyrgios will ‘struggle to get back’ to tennis after injury, claims one respected Australian tennis broadcaster.

Kyrgios missed all four Grand Slams in 2023 due to wrist and knee injuries, and that has carried over into next season with him already announcing he will not be ready to return for the Australian Open.

It’s a bitter blow for Kyrgios, who in 2022 appeared to be finally on the verge of conquering his mental demons to make good on the obvious potential he has always had.

He reached the final of Wimbledon that year and was playing some scintillating tennis, but since then his body has failed him.

And, according to Brett Phillips, who is a key part of the Channel 9 tennis coverage in Australia, says he has fears for Kyrgios’ future due to both physical factors and the quality of the emerging talent on the ATP Tour.

“The injuries have caught up with him. I actually think he’s going to struggle to get back, to be totally honest,” he said.

“There’s a plethora of stuff he can do away from tennis. He’s dabbled in commentary recently and made a good fist of that, we know he’s got a good IQ and he’s got his foundation, he’ll be in demand.

Gotta be honest… was an absolute pleasure having @NickKyrgios join us on @TennisChannel for the call of the ATP Finals today. Couldn’t have been nicer and more professional. And great tactical insights having winning records vs. both @DaniilMedwed & @AlexZverev. Looking forward… pic.twitter.com/wAsIFvlC2Y

— Brett Haber (@BrettHaber) November 15, 2023

“I mean he’s 28. Nick Kyrgios never spoke about being a tennis player who was going to play deep into his 30s and have a long career of tennis, he spoke about being possibly retired two years ago. I think these injuries, the knee, wrist, they’re two of the worst you can get in tennis.

“[Juan Martin] Del Potro couldn’t come back from a wrist injury, Roger Federer couldn’t get back from a couple of knee surgeries.

“If you look what has happened since Nick has been largely inactive, the breed of talent that’s come through, they’re at a whole other level.”

When will Nick Kyrgios be back?

Kyrgios probably will be at the Australian Open in his new-found role as a broadcaster, simply because he was too good and too big a name not to be.

However, his future in terms of getting back on court looks a lot less certain.

Typically, Kyrgios has generally shown himself to be keen to play the Grand Slams but has never really shown a lot of thirst to play a regular schedule.

There is one exception to that Slams rule, though, which is Roland Garros. Claycourt tennis tends to require patience over power, and that doesn’t really suit Kyrgios, so he has generally always skipped it.

The will be very keen to be ready for grass season, though, and that will provide challenges. Kyrgios considers himself a genuine contender to win a Wimbledon title, but the grass season is short and directly follows a much longer clay one.

That means he will have difficulty to get up to speed for Wimbledon. He may, therefore, aim for the Sunshine Double in March for his comeback if possible.

It would allow him to get some meaningful tennis in before and after clay season and give him a chance to hit some rhythm in time for Wimbledon.

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The post Nick Kyrgios ‘may struggle to get back’ to tennis, fears Australian analyst appeared first on Tennishead.

Nick Kyrgios has opened up about his mental health struggles while playing on the ATP Tour and thanked Andy Murray for reaching out to him during this time.

Kyrgios has suffered with a variety of different injuries in 2023, which has meant that the Australian has only played one match for the entirety of the year in Stuttgart.

The 2022 Wimbledon finalist did make an appearance at the recent ATP Finals, but in a different role as a commentator for Tennis Channel.

And now the 28-year-old has opened up about his previous mental health struggles in an interview with Piers Morgan.

“It was pretty dark to be honest,” revealed Kyrgios. “I won tournaments on the professional tour, drinking every night, self-harming, burning things on my arm, cutting myself for fun. It became an addiction of pain. I hated myself. I hated waking up and being Nick Kyrgios.”

The former No.13 also spoke about the role that Murray has played in his life, with the Brit reportedly alerting Kyrgios’ manager about the self-harm that the Aussie was inflicting on himself.

And Kyrgios has revealed how thankful he is for Murray, “Andy was always a big supporter of me. As soon as I came on the tour, he kind of saw a work in progress and took me under his wing. Then he realised later in my career that I don’t think I was coachable or I was on my own path, but he was always someone that was looking out for me.

“He saw it [the self-harm] and he said, ‘What’s that on your arm?’ It was pretty bad at that stage. Andy obviously was trying to give me advice on it. But I was just so stuck in my ways at that time that I didn’t listen. Obviously I’m very thankful. I thank him a lot.”

"He took me under his wing… I thank him a lot."

Nick Kyrgios tells Piers Morgan how Andy Murray helped him with mental health and self harm struggles.

Watch the full interview on tonight's Uncensored at 8pm (UK). @NickKyrgios | @andy_murray | @piersmorgan | #PMU pic.twitter.com/VYpAdQBVKL

— Piers Morgan Uncensored (@PiersUncensored) December 1, 2023

Kyrgios then went onto talk about how he has used his previous struggles to help others, “I feel like I’ve helped so many people after I opened up about it and put it on social media. I’ve almost been a beacon for people who are struggling. When they feel like they’re overwhelmed and they’re going towards drinking, drugs and stuff, they open up and they feel like I’m relatable.”

He continued, “That’s been the most powerful thing in my career; people coming to me with genuine issues. They send me photos in my Instagram, direct messages, self-harming and genuinely wanting to commit suicide.

“I have conversations with these people. Sometimes I’ve had phone calls with these people. That’s making a real difference and I’m just really proud.”

Inside the baseline…

It is unclear as to when Kyrgios will be returning to the tennis court, but it is clear that he is still having a big impact off it. Although he can often be a controversial figure for his behaviour and outspoken nature, there is no doubt that this is Kyrgios using his platform for good to show the importance of mental health and to show others that you can come through difficult periods of your life.

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