Australia’s anger towards Nick Kyrgios is seriously misguided

The way you feel about these photos reveals a sad truth that our male Australian athletes continue to face day in and day out.

What do we expect from men in sport? Photo: Instagram

COMMENT

Right now, Australia is very mad at Nick Kyrgios for not playing tennis because he is hurt. Yes, when I put it like that it does seem ridiculous.

Kyrgios 28, announced his last-minute withdrawal from Wimbledon on Instagram and expressed sadness that he couldn’t play on.

“I’m really sad to say that I have to withdraw from Wimbledon this year. During my comeback, I experienced some pain in my wrist during Mallorca. As a precaution, I had it scanned, and it came back showing a torn ligament in my wrist,” he wrote

“I tried everything to be able to play, and I am disappointed to say that I just didn’t have enough time to manage it before Wimbledon,” he added.

Nick is an incredibly talented tennis player. Picture: Michael Klein

What do we expect from men in sport? Photo: Instagram

His injury and apology aren’t enough for Australia’s play-on-at-any-cost culture. Harden up, eat some concrete and get on with it, mate.

Popular Tennis commentator, Chris Goldsmith said: “Those that say Nick Kyrgios is good for Tennis are wrong. No integrity whatsoever. Pulls out of singles and doubles a few hours before the tournament. Another ALT into Qualifying missed a place, all because he likes to mess about.

“Don’t come back to SW19,” he wrote.

Goldsmith wasn’t alone in his assessment that Kyrgios should harden up, get on with it, and smash the ball over the net.

“Unbelievable. Toughen up, princess,” someone commented.

“Attitude and hard work will get you places; there’s never been a question of his talent. It is temperament, lack of respect and work ethic which has let him down,” another wrote.

“Love it! Please retire,” someone raged.

“He is an embarrassment to tennis,” another declared.

Sam Burgess performance in 2014 is one for the history books. Picture Gregg Porteous

Nick has always been good at setting workplace boundaries Picture: Instagram

The reaction to Kyrgios picking himself over the game is fierce. Instead we’d like men push their bodies to the point they break.

In 2014 NRL Rabbitohs player Sam Burgess was labelled a hero after he played an entire grand final match with a broken cheekbone.

He finished the game with blood dripping down his swollen face and was then was rushed to hospital for surgery, but the Rabbitohs were victorious, and his efforts were seen as the pinnacle of masculinity and sportsmanship.

Afterwards, Burgess tweeted from his hospital bed that he “wouldn’t change anything for the world,” and Australia ate it up.

He was an absolute hero and Aussie icon.

Sam Burgess face was a mess when he finished the game. Picture Gregg Porteous

The reaction to Burgess playing with an injury gives a great insight into what we expect from Australian male athletes – to win at any cost, seriously, even if the price is their own health and safety.

Throughout Kygrios’ career one thing has always been clear – he has always been prepared to choose himself over the game, and that makes people very uncomfortable.

Kygrios has been accused of being a quitter, not taking the game seriously and being lazy. There’s a rolodex of insults that seem synonymous with the choices Kygrios has made to preserve his mental and physical health.

If we think Burgess is a hero for playing with a broken cheekbone, we think Kygrios is a wuss for calling it a day over a hurt wrist.

We want these men to go for war for their respected sports and anything less is seen as failure.

Sam Burgess reached hero status for playing while hurt. Picture Gregg Porteous

Nick sets his own boundaries. Photo: Instagram

So, why do we hold our Aussie male athletes to such a high standard? Why do we want their blood, sweat and tears, quite literally.

Clinical psychologist Dr Aileen Alegado said it is because Australians are “extremely invested in sport,” to the point it is a source of “national pride”.

Our investment means that we can lose perspective.

“Because of this they can almost be robbed of their humanity. It becomes their duty to perform for the nation,” she told news.com.au.

When it comes to male athletes, expectations can be kicked up a notch because of sexism, we revert back to outdated stereotypes and place unrealistic expectations on men.

“I think it is a bit of toxic masculinity, that notion that men need to ‘man up’ and do what they need to do at all costs to win,” Dr Alegado pointed out.

Nick Kyrgios is often roused on for focusing on himself. Photo: Mitchelton Gallery of Aboriginal Art.

Nick is great at work/life balance. Photo: Instagram

Dr Alegado advises that we need consider if we’d have the exact expectations for someone we love as we do a random athlete.

If our mate said their wrist was sore and they had a manual labour job, would we push them to still turn up?

“Would we treat a family member, or friend the same way if they were injured? Nick needs to put his health and wellbeing first,” Dr Alegado said.

Plus, Dr Alegado points out that ultimately Kyrgios is also just pushing away from outdated hustle culture.

“Being shamed for setting boundaries is never okay. Given he is pulling out due to a wrist injury, it would appear he is putting his health and ongoing career first, so for that these boundaries are healthy.”

We have to ask ourselves what price we expect our male athletes to pay and if we’d want any man we love to pay the same one.