Nick Kyrgios’ chemistry with new partner Venus Williams ‘off the charts’
Nick Kyrgios quickly became a fan favourite among the London locals for his wildly entertaining gameplay and charming persona.
You rarely saw Nick Kyrgios without a smile during the 2021 Wimbledon Championships.
Competing in his first tournament since February’s Australian Open, Kyrgios quickly became a fan favourite among the London locals for his wildly entertaining gameplay and charming persona.
And that natural charisma was on full display during his mixed doubles stint alongside tennis royalty Venus Williams.
Their round one victory over American pairing Sabrina Santamaria and Austin Krajicek was a thriller, packed with hugs, fist bumps and a heap of encouragement.
The 16-year age gap ensured they quickly became known as Wimbledon’s odd couple, but tennis fans couldn’t get enough of them.
“That was definitely some of the most fun I’ve had on the tennis court,” Kyrgios told news.com.au, speaking as an ambassador for Old El Paso.
“Just to grace the court with such an icon and such a legend before she retires.
“She’s 41, and obviously her body will be hurting a lot, so I’m not sure how long she’ll play. But I’m just lucky that I got to say that I played Wimbledon with Venus Williams, and we got a win.
“I actually felt like we could do some big damage in the event if I stayed healthy – our chemistry was off the charts.”
Injury robbed the tennis community of a second Kyrgios/Williams mixed doubles match at the All England Club, but will the duo join forces again at another grand slam tournament?
The Aussie certainly hopes so.
“Fingers crossed,” he said. “We might play US Open or Australian Open.”
Kyrgios is first and foremost an entertainer – on-court success is an added bonus. He wants to enjoy his time on the court, and hopes the crowd are willing to come along for the ride.
He has publicly confessed that grand slam titles aren’t on his radar – he’s there for a good time, not a long time.
It’s a strange philosophy in the modern age of sport, one which his critics repeatedly censure, but mental health is the priority for Kyrgios.
“In any other job, you can take a sick day, you can take leave. You don’t have to give your best efforts every day for any other job,” he said.
“But on a tennis court, it’s kind of hard to say, ‘Look, I’m not feeling it today.’
“As athletes, we do deal with a lot of things … it’s not easy to go out there every day and feel as if you want to be out there in front of those big crowds where everyone’s judging you, critiquing you on every little move.
“In saying that, it does come with the territory.”
Regardless, the public’s perception of Nick Kyrgios is undoubtedly shifting.
The Canberra athlete became the face of bushfire relief last summer after calling on Australian Open organisers to plan an exhibition event to help raise funds.
During the coronavirus lockdown – the first one – he personally delivered boxes of food to people who had lost their jobs and needed financial help.
He also became the voice of reason during the Covid-19 pandemic, condemning Djokovic’s controversial Adria Tour.
And while his blow-ups and tantrums will inevitably dominate headlines, most of the tennis community has learnt to love the Nick Kyrgios spectacle in its entirety.
“They’re finally actually embracing and enjoying the ride; seeing how differently I go about it to every other tennis player and just realising that it’s actually entertainment,” he said.
“There’s a reason why all the stadiums are packed out; there’s a reason I have such a big following. It’s more of a show than just a tennis match.
“I think everyone at Wimbledon this year really embraced that.
“I feel like just on the main stage I’ve really shown who I am. I feel like the public have really warmed up to me a lot from the start of my career. I’m a lot more mature than I was at the start of my career.”
Sadly, an abdominal injury put an abrupt end to Kyrgios’ electrifying Wimbledon campaign.
Late in the opening set of his third round match against Canada’s Felix Auger Aliassime, he felt a sharp pain in his lower stomach, immediately calling for the physio.
Kyrgios powered through to claim the first set 6-2, but his serving speed had plummeted. He lost the second set 6-1 before calling it quits.
“I was absolutely shattered that I wasn’t able to continue that day, but I couldn’t actually serve anymore, so it was absolutely heartbreaking,” he said.
“When you feel the public and the crowd getting behind you completely, it’s obviously hard to say that you want to stop or not play as much.”
Regardless, the Wimbledon crowd gave Kyrgios a standing ovation after he withdrew from the round three contest. Although it’s customary for the loser to return to the sheds after a defeat, Kyrgios was asked to stay on the court for a post-match interview.
He deserved a proper farewell, an opportunity to thank the spectators one last time.
“The crowd was so behind me, embracing every single part of my tennis game,” Kyrgios said.
“When I went out there, it was like family – they were telling me tactics, always supporting me and it was just insane. It felt like I was literally playing in my backyard in Australia.
“I think that was one of the first times – obviously bar the final – that the loser actually did a press conference before exiting the stadium.
“It was a hell of a ride for me, this Wimbledon.”
Considering this devotion to crowd engagement, Kyrgios’ withdrawal from the Tokyo Olympics should not come as a surprise.
This week, Tokyo organisers were forced to yield to a surging domestic virus caseload and bar spectators from the majority of Olympic events.
Olympic athletes will sign a written pledge promising to abide by antivirus rules in Tokyo, including staying away from tourist areas and not using public transport. The athletes will be required to wear masks at all times, except when outdoors, sleeping or eating.
“If I’m going to play my first ever Olympics, I want to do it the right way. I want to do it in front of packed stadiums,” Kyrgios said.
“You think about the Olympics, you think about packed stadiums, everyone watching different sports, all the athletes creating memories together. That’s the way I want to do it.
“I don’t want to remember my first Olympics with no crowd there – I’m not able to watch the Dream Team or anything like that, which I want to do so much.
“Hopefully I can play the next Olympics in three years.”
Olympics. pic.twitter.com/ydj1V7jh2t
— Nicholas Kyrgios (@NickKyrgios) July 8, 2021
Kyrgios is currently recovering and recuperating in the Bahamas ahead of Atlanta 250, an ATP tournament he won in 2016.
“There’s a gym close by that I’ll go to and do all my rehab,” he said.
“I’ve been linking with my physio back home, and he’s been giving me a good rehab program that I’ve been doing pretty diligently.
“I’ve been doing absolutely everything I possibly can to get it better, because I’ll want to be fully fit next tournament I play, so I’m literally doing all I can at the moment to get better.”
As part of the Old El Paso’s Slam Dunk #MessFreeChallenge, Kyrgios recently challenged Australian basketballer Liz Cambage to get involved and attempt a dunk while holding a tortilla.
For every share of Kyrgios and Cambage’s challenges on Instagram, Old El Paso and NK Foundation will donate one Mexican meal product to help vulnerable people across the world.
And for every fan that posts their own Slam Dunk #MessFreeChallenge, that donation will increase to 10.