Nick Kyrgios news: Latest updates on the controversial Aussie tennis star

Nick Kyrgios believes Novak Djokovic was the only player who could have beaten him in his first grand slam final, declaring he would have won Wimbledon against “anyone else”.

Nick Kyrgios admits he needs to learn from his emotional outbursts from the Wimbledon final, believing he would be a grand slam champion right now had he played anyone else but Novak Djokovic in the final.

It comes as the Australian tennis star tennis star hinted at plans to start a family and marry his girlfriend Costeen Hatzi.

Kyrgios led Djokovic in a thrilling Wimbledon final earlier this month, but after claiming the first set the experienced Serb ground his way to victory as the volatile Australian starting ranting and raving towards his own players’ box of supporters.

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While Kyrgios’s performance was nowhere near as foul-mouthed or volatile as previous outbursts on the court, controlling the rollercoaster of emotions in the biggest match of his career remains one of the great lessons from the match.

Nick Kyrgios’ Instagram story.

Kyrgios told his Instagram followers he would learn from the experience of Wimbledon.

“Honestly, I feel as if my first slam final was impressive, next time I would try to ride the emotional wave a little smoother but I realise how much was on the line,” Kyrgios wrote in a NK honesty Q&A session.

“I feel if I was up against anyone else but Djokovic in the final with the way I served that day, I would of won.”

When asked why he needs to be so cocky, Kyrgios explained: “People tend to confuse my confident for arrogance because they have no idea what I’ve been through.”

But perhaps the most provocative comment came when his own girlfriend, Costeen Hatzi asked him: “I love you when are we having babies?”

“Next year,” Kyrgios replied, with eyes and ring emoji.

Nick Kyrgios’ reply to Costeen Hatzi on Instagram.

SHATTERED KYRGIOS SUFFERS US OPEN SETBACK

Nick Kyrgios said he was “shattered” to withdraw from the Atlanta Open with a knee injury as his US Open preparations took a blow.

Kyrgios addressed the crowd after withdrawing just before his opening match with Peter Gojowczyk.

But while he ended his singles campaign, Kyrgios was hopeful his knee would be good to go in time for his quarter-final doubles match alongside fellow countryman Thanasi Kokkinakis.

“First of all, I just want to say I’m extremely shattered that I’m not able to compete tonight,” Kyrgios said.

“I’ve won this tournament once and I’ve played probably some of the best tennis of my career. All I wanted to do was come out here and give you guys a show, obviously just see what I’m capable of.

“But I’m unable to give out my best performance today and I’m just extremely sorry. But I’m going to keep my hopes up and maybe be able to continue doubles with Thanasi this week.

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Nick Kyrgios is still hopeful of playing doubles with Thanasi Kokkinakis in Atlanta Picture: Adam Hagy/Getty Images/AFP

“I hope you all won’t be too hard on me, I was going to come out here and see you guys face-to-face to tell you that I love you guys and hopefully next year in singles I’ll be able to compete and give it my all.”

The US Open begins on August 29 and Kyrgios is likely to go in unseeded after his Atlanta withdrawal cruelled his chances to rise up the world rankings after his epic march to the Wimbledon final.

KYRGIOS’ SLY DIG AT BITTER RIVAL

Jamie Pandaram

Nick Kyrgios has revealed he barely slept before his Wimbledon final match against Novak Djokovic, and as he approaches the US Open for another Grand Slam tilt says he remains his own biggest critic.

The Australian tennis star is competing in Atlanta this week, his first tournament since stunning the world with his charge towards his maiden Slam final on July 11, but his preparation was far from ideal in London.

Kyrios had a walkover in the semi-final after rival Rafael Nadal succumbed to a stomach injury, which should have had him well rested before the final against Djokovic, but it was the opposite.

“You can lose a Grand Slam in a day, but you can’t win one,” Kyrgios said in an Instagram Live interview with Citi Open, who run the Atlanta and Washington tournaments he will play in before heading to New York for the US Open in late August.

“It takes so many days. You know, you play a match and you have a day off, then you play again and then have a day off, like it’s the mental capacity to keep doing the same things over and over again for two weeks at the highest level,” Kyrgios said.

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Nick Kyrgios barely slept before his Wimbledon final match against Novak Djokovic. Picture: Getty Images `

“There’s so many different things, intangibles. You might be feeling sick one day, like I fell sick before I played (Filip) Krajinovic. Your body is hurting, mentally.

“I couldn’t sleep for two days after Rafa pulled out. Physically, I felt great, but mentally, you know.”

But the 27-year-old has taken confidence from the achievement despite going down in four sets to Djokovic, who is not allowed in the US to contest this Slam because he is not vaccinated against Covid.

“I feel when I made that final at Wimbledon, it’s taken a lot of pressure off my career,” Kyrgios said.

“But I’m going to be my biggest critic, still. I’m still going out there trying to get better at things, my forehand return, the way I’m serving, pushing myself.

“Which is surprising for me. I thought if I got to something like this I’d take a month off, but it’s been motivating.

“I take a lot of confidence, I’m a Grand Slam finalist, I never thought I’d be a Grand Slam finalist. I’ve won a doubles final in a Grand Slam.

“It’s looking good.

“I look back at my career and most would say, and even myself would say, my window was closed on making a Grand Slam final and even contesting for one of those.

“I think Wimbledon is the biggest title ever.

“I said this to my team, if I won Wimbledon, I would have really struggled for motivation. I really don’t know what more I would have to prove as a tennis player.

“You have to be a mental animal to win a Grand Slam. Now I give more respect to Djokovic, Federer and Nadal.

Nick Kyrgios and Stefanos Tsitsipas at Wimbledon. Picture: Getty Images

“I played with Novak Djokovic in the final. I felt like he was fresh, like he hadn’t played tennis in the previous two weeks. He didn’t seem shaken for a moment.”

Kyrgios and doubles partner Thanasi Kokkinakis defeated French pair Nicolas Mahut and Edouard Roger-Vasselin in their opening Atlanta Open match 7-6 (8) 6-3 overnight.

Kyrgios begins his singles campaign against German qualifier Peter Gojowczyk.

He also confirmed that he’ll pair with American Jack Sock in the doubles in Washington, while taking a sly dig at his bitter rival Stefanos Tsitsipas who he defeated in a heated match at Wimbledon.

“I’ve had Stefanos as a partner there [in Washington] so it can’t get much worse than that,” Kyrgios said, to which Sock replied on the three-way call: “I think that’s my time to get out of here.”

Kyrgios won the 2019 Washington Open tournament and famously took advice from the crowd on which serves to hit – a ploy he plans to repeat next week.

“On match point I’m going to ask a complete random in the crowd where to serve, that’s how it’s going to be done,” he said.

“I’d love for a kid or spectator to remember that for the rest of their life.”