3 minute read
Five Wimbledon matches that have defined Nick Kyrgios's amazing run to the men's singles final after eight rollercoaster years.
When Nick Kyrgios was asked to describe his extraordinary Wimbledon journey this year, he smiled ruefully: "Rocky...."
Actually, he could have offered that same sentiment about his entire eight-year odyssey at the All England Club, which began with fireworks against one of the greatest players in history and could next culminate in glory against another.
Here, AAP examines, through the lens of five extraordinary Wimbledon matches, how Canberra's unique showman finally cracked the SW19 code.
No.1 - NOTHING TO DECLARE BUT HIS GENIUS
(2014, 4th round: beats Rafael Nadal 7-6 (7-5) 5-7 7-6 (7-5) 6-3)
Few sportsmen ever announced themselves on the international stage with quite the same fearless bravado the lanky 19-year-old Kyrgios did on his Centre Court bow, bewildering and battering the then-world No.1 with a barrage of 37 aces and 70 winners, including a preposterous tweener clincher that may be his signature now but at the time felt other-worldly. Fresh, fun and oh so different, Kyrgios shrugged: "I played some extraordinary tennis ... I didn't really notice the crowd out there." Didn't notice the crowd!? Er, some things were to change ...
No.2 - GIVEN A TOUGH LOVE LESSON
(2016, 4th round: loses to Andy Murray 7-5 6-1 6-4)
Tennis again mused over whether this might be the moment for Kyrgios to come of age by upstaging the home favourite and world No.2 on his home court. Instead, Kyrgios got a lesson from his Scottish mate with whom he reckoned he "shared love at first sight". If so, this was seriously tough love with Kyrgios getting increasingly frustrated, more casual and careless with his trick shots, and eventually getting blown away.
No.3 - AFTER THE DOG AND FOX, LAST ORDERS FROM RAFA
(2019, 2nd round: loses to Rafael Nadal 6-3 3-6 7-6 (7-5) 7-6 (7-3))
By now, it was deja vu with Kyrgios at Wimbledon. Promising openings followed by deflating anti-climax. Going into this one, Kyrgios was famously spotted in the Dog and Fox pub late on match eve. (Not 4.30am, by the way, as he's built up the mythology, but soon after last orders). The next day he played a fine, aggressive match, admitted to whacking the ball straight at Nadal but still got ground down. The Spaniard graciously suggested afterwards that Kyrgios was talented enough to win a grand slam but Kyrgios said, nah, he wasn't professional enough. Frustratingly, he made it sound like a badge of honour ...
No.4 - STRAWBERRIES AND CHILL, LICENSED TO THRILL
(2021, 1st round: beats Ugo Humbert 6-4 4-6 3-6 6-1 9-7)
So, Kyrgios rolls up at SW19 in his first overseas tournament for 18 months covered in ring rust, sniffing he's only here for 'strawberries and chill'. Lo, he then blasts straight into arguably the match of the championship, a blistering, full-on, crazy late-night affair against the swashbuckling French leftie which stretches over two days. "I'm scared of no-one," boomed Kyrgios afterwards but his body was already protesting, and a few days later he creaked out with injury.
No.5 - WIMBLEDON'S MOST EXPLOSIVE DUEL
(2022, 3rd round: beats Stefanos Tsitsipas 6-7 (2-7) 6-4 6-3 7-6 (9-7))
When Kyrgios's 2022 breakthrough is examined, will this extraordinary affair, pretty ugly all except for the pretty brilliant tennis, be its defining image? Kyrgios ranting, raving, insulting the umpire, trying to get his opponent chucked out for hitting a ball into the crowd, being dubbed a cheat by Pat Cash and part-evil by Tsitsipas himself. Yet even if it all made him sound like a cross between Darth Vader and a dementor, Kyrgios got through a match he might have lost when he was younger. Bottom line? He was too tough, too streetwise - and he was ready.
