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Nick Kyrgios was left to regret his missed chance at tennis immortality, even if he wasn’t “supposed to be” competing in the sport’s pinnacle event.
Novak Djokovic defeated Kyrgios 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (7-3) to end the Australian’s dream run at the All England Club as Djokovic secured his seventh Wimbledon title.
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It was a valiant display from Kyrgios, although he was his usual fiery self in the three-hour clash.
But the anger came from a place of knowing what could have been.
“At times out there, obviously I was getting angry a bit because I looked at it as you win this tournament and you become a tennis immortal, I feel,” Kyrgios said in his post-match press conference.
“It was just an opportunity for me that people work their entire life for.
“I put myself in a position to win the first set. Things started to get rocky a bit. He was just solid. I win that fourth set, who knows?”
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One thing that Kyrgios marvelled at was Djokovic’s composure levels throughout the four-set battle.
Given it was the Serb’s 22nd grand slam title, it’s not exactly a shock admission.
While Kyrgios saw up close how one of tennis’ greatest ever keeps himself cool, calm and collected on the biggest stage, he knows he gave himself every chance of winning.
But Rafael Nadal’s withdrawal ahead of their semi-final perhaps proved to be more of a hindrance than a help in the lead-up.
“The finals of Wimbledon, the anxiety of obviously having that day off from the semi-final,” Kyrgios said.
“I slept terribly again last night. Just everything in the lead-up. I actually think not playing the semi-final may have done me a disservice, because I was just thinking about it all the time But that comes with experience.
“I thought I handled myself well today. I did what I had to do tactically to give myself a chance and I just came up short. I’m happy with that.”
Ultimately, it could end up being Kyrgios’ only Grand Slam singles final he makes.
Of course, he himself and several tennis fans would hope otherwise.
But the fact he even made it so far into the tournament was something that the 27-year-old is still somewhat perplexed by.
“I’m just not supposed to be here,” Kyrgios said.
“I’m a kid from Canberra. Literally a month and a half ago I was in a facility playing basketball with some boys back home and I said to one of them, ‘I think I’m going to have fun and maybe win Wimbledon.’
“I’m here as a finalist, literally. I didn’t hit more than an hour a day. I look back and I think, ‘How am I here?’ It’s pretty cool.”
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