Nick Kyrgios during a practice session at Melbourne Park on Thursday.Credit:Getty Images
Kyrgios pointed to his world No.1 junior ranking and quick transition to the men’s tour as evidence he had “always been pretty good”,but said a greater consistency in all parts of his performance was the driving factor behind his 2022 success.
Something that has not changed,he said,is the suffocating attention,pressure and expectation on him.
Loading
“I just try and internalise it. I try and hang out with my team as much as I can,” Kyrgios said.
“I don’t think any other tennis player,especially in Australia,is under as much media scrutiny as I am – it’s a day-to-day thing,day-to-day battle.
“I just have to embrace it and use it as a privilege,but it’s hard. No male player has won a slam in Australia for a long,long time,so hopefully we all can find a way to deal with it.”
Ash Barty’s historic Melbourne Park triumph last year,shortly before she retired for a second time,is not serving as “inspiration” for Kyrgios,but he saw how relieved she was to achieve her title dream.
“I was just smiling and happy for her. I’m not a jealous person,saying,‘I wish that was me’ but it’s special to see how she embraced her family and everyone who’s been on the journey with her,” he said.
“So,hopefully one day,any Australian,any man,[can win a grand slam title] ... but none of us is as dominant as Ash Barty.
“She was just winning matches for fun out there and barely losing games,so I don’t know if it’s going to be that easy for us.”
Kyrgios has also become a part-owner of NBL club South East Melbourne Phoenix,alongside Romie Chaudhari and current and ex-NBA stars John Wall,Zach Randolph,Al Harrington,Josh Childress and Dante Exum.
Watch the Australian Open live and free on the 9Network - Channel 9 and 9Gem.
News,results and expert analysis from the weekend of sport sent every Monday.Sign up for our Sport newsletter.