Nick Kyrgios is a Wimbledon semi-finalist.
Yes, the Kyrgios who says he doesn’t really love tennis, doesn’t really apply himself full-time and doesn’t necessarily care about winning slams is in with a genuine shout of … winning a grand slam.
Kyrgios cruised past Chile’s Cristian Garin with relative ease 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (7/5) on Thurday morning (AEST) to book a semi-final date with Rafael Nadal, who is no guarantee of even being able to take the court after battling an abdominal victory in his last eight win over Taylor Fritz.
Kyrgios admitted post-match he had “wasted” parts of his career but he’s seemingly reaping the benefits of a professional build-up approach to this tournament. He spoke about “getting his body right” before the Nadal start semi — a stark contrast to his 4am pub outing before his last Wimbledon meeting with the Spaniard.
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While many had written off Kyrgios’ chances of going this deep into a slam, the world’s media is now debating whether the once-unthinkable could happen and the Australian can go all the way, having seemingly decided to change his way and give himself every shot at doing so.
Tennis analyst David Law said it was clear the Australian had made genuine steps forward in his career, regardless of what happens from here.
“There are some other factors here with the draw (Russian players being absent) .. but there are often gaps in draws. He very nearly lost in the first round and Paul Jubb of Great Britain,” Law said on The Tennis Podcast.
“… but Kyrgios won that match and then got through to the semi-finals of Wimbledon. That’s impressive and it’s a clear step further than he’s ever gone before.
“He obviously has made some progress here in terms of how he’s managing his career as a profession now. I don’t think that’s necessarily an accident. I think the process he’s started talking about is there.”
Co-hosts Catherine Whitaker and Matt Roberts said “good Nick Kyrgios” was on display once again on Centre Court.
“It was just a tennis match in the end and he just played solidly and won the big moments. It was nothing fancy … there were no trick shots, tweeners, or underarm serves through the legs, it was just focused, efficient tennis really,” Roberts said.
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Rick Broadbent, writing for The Times, said Kyrgios once again let his brilliant tennis do the talking.
“Other than a stream of muttered oaths, seemingly directed at himself and his box, he did nothing to undermine his opponent other than bombard him with heavy-duty serving,” Broadbent said.
“He has now sent down 120 aces and lost only six of 101 service games this Wimbledon. “The best serve on tour,” Garín said. “He has great chances to win this tournament.”Kyrgios will continue to go his own way, although he again praised his support team, who were up and down as a nine-strong jack-in-the-box. “I don’t have a coach,” he mused. “I would never put that burden on someone.” It sounded like a half-joke.”
Matthew Syed, also writing for The Times this week, offered a fascinating theory about Kyrgios’ “self-handicapping” tactics in an article about his “fear of failure” — suggesting he’s always really cared.
“This is where some among the ranks of super-talented find it psychologically unbearable to fail,” he wrote.
“Their self-esteem is so bound up with their own brilliance that the idea of working hard and falling short is too much to encompass. To protect their egos from this possibility, they sabotage their own chances so that no defeat is ever their fault. “It wasn’t me; it was the lack of sleep!
“… Isn’t this a plausible explanation for the otherwise curious behaviour of Kyrgios? He has ostensibly committed his life to playing tennis yet seems to find ever more elaborate ways to put obstacles in the way of his own success. Before a Wimbledon showdown with Rafael Nadal in 2019, he stayed out drinking in the Dog and Fox till midnight. Why did he choose the most popular haunt to parade his lack of preparation? Why didn’t he have a few sherbets in the privacy of his own bedroom? Proactive excuses only work, of course, if everyone can see them.”
That behaviour seems behind Kyrgios, at least for this tournament, and the Australian has a golden chance to reach his first grand slam final given Nadal’s injury woes.
Even if the Spaniard is fully fit, Kyrgios has always represented a daunting proposition from Nadal since their first meeting — the Australian’s infamous breakthrough win at the All England Club in 2014.
“It’s impossible to say [if Nadal will recover in time to play Nick Kyrgios], but I remember we did a famous interview on Phillippe-Chatrier after the final a few weeks ago and he said he had a couple of injections in his foot and his foot was put to sleep,” legend Mats Wilander told Eurosport.
“Can you do that with your abdominal muscles? Maybe he can still figure out a way to serve at a decent speed? I am assuming he is not going to hit any tennis balls tomorrow and he’s going to take it very easy and recover.
“Who is the nightmare opponent when you are feeling like this? Novak Djokovic, yes. But also Nick Kyrgios. It’s the worst news ever.
“With Nick Kyrgios, we never talk about the way he moves because he doesn’t play that many matches – he moves incredibly well. He’s a great athlete, the hands that he has, and the shot-making skills were absolutely incredible. There was very little talking to his box, he was very controlled.”
