Nick Kyrgios opens up on Bernard Tomic and the tragic moment that changed his life

NICK Kyrgios has opened up on why he’s no longer friends with Bernard Tomic and the tragic moment that changed his life.

Nick Kyrgios is nothing if not honest.

NICK Kyrgios says Bernard Tomic has “lost his way” and that it’s unfair to lump him in the same category as Australia’s fallen tennis star.

As he prepares to lead Australia into Davis Cup battle with Belgium in Brussels, Kyrgios has opened up on his relationship with Tomic, who remains in exile with former teammates after a disastrous 2017 campaign.

The two former junior grand slam champions were jostling for Australia’s top ranking last year before Tomic tumbled to 146th in the world and Kyrgios soared into the top 15 for the first time this season.

While the enigmatic Kyrgios admits he’s still “not the professional tennis needs me to be”, the 22-year-old insists Tomic is an even greater conundrum. While doing so he took a swipe at Australia’s chef de mission at the Rio Olympics Kitty Chiller, who chastised the tennis star last year for his behaviour not being what’s expected of an Australian Olympian (he later withdrew from the Games).

“You’d also be wrong if you tried to lump me in the same category as Bernard Tomic, as Kitty Chiller and tons of others have over time,” Kyrgios wrote in a first person piece for sports storytelling platform playersvoice.com.au.

“Bernie has lost his way. We were pretty good mates when I was younger.

Tomic and Kyrgios have drifted apart.

“I obviously didn’t know the tennis tour too well back then and we were guys of similar age, representing the same country, on the road at many of the same tournaments.

“But a lot has changed since then. He needs to figure out what he wants to do. I can’t relate to anything he says anymore.

“He says one thing and he does the other. And he contradicts himself all the time.

“He says tennis doesn’t make him happy, that he doesn’t really like the game, yet he says the only thing that will really make him happy is winning a grand slam. It doesn’t make sense at all.”

Tomic has fallen into a downward spiral he can’t get himself out of this year. After his first round exit at Wimbledon this year he said he couldn’t care less whether he loses in the first or fourth round at tournaments anymore because he’s “bored”.

Tomic also angered plenty of people by gloating about the size of his bank account, saying he can buy cars and houses the rest of us can only dream of.

The pair claimed they had made up after their relationship soured last year when Tomic sledged Kyrgios for missing Australia’s Davis Cup tie against America, but that renewed friendship obviously hasn’t lasted.

TRAGIC MOMENT THAT CHANGED KYRGIOS

Tennis is not the be-all and end-all.

So often criticised for a lack of commitment, Kyrgios concedes that’s true some of the time. He points to the death of his grandmother Julianah Foster two years ago as the reason his dedication waned.

“I didn’t get to spend the time with her I wanted to and tennis was the reason for that. It kept me away from her. It’s something that still gnaws away at me,” he said.

“If I’m honest, I’d say I haven’t committed to tennis the way the game needs me to since she died.

“We were incredibly close. We spent hours and hours and hours together. We even slept in the same bunk bed.”

Kyrgios and “Nanna” were so close he knew a secret about her even his mother Nill wasn’t aware of. He only told his mum recently his grandmother smoked a lot, a fact she wasn’t too pleased to learn.

Kyrgios and brother Christos both have “74” tattoos — the age at which their grandmother died — and the constant reminder of her influence is as painful as it is important.

“I remember all the good times, the great times, but then I think about how much I miss her and the pain is still there, very raw and real,” he said.

“That’s when you realise tennis is not very important in the scheme of things. It’s just a game. We hit a ball over the net. When I was first on tour I thought it was unbelievable, it was such a good life, I really enjoyed it. When my grandfather passed away recently, I pulled out of a few tournaments. I needed to be home. I love being home and being normal more than anything.”

‘THE SENIOR GUYS DON”T KNOW WHAT IT’S LIKE’

Life isn’t so easy for our young sports stars.

Kyrgios admits he has a “chip on my shoulder” and “hates having a completely public life”, finding it infuriating when he reads something about himself in the media that isn’t true.

His view of the media has been soured by his experiences, and says it’s far harder for the younger generation of stars who have grown up in the age of social media.

“When I first started on the tour, I didn’t expect to get any media. Now, with a bit of perspective and context, I see it for what it really is. And I don’t like it at all,” he said.

“The senior guys on tour don’t know what it’s like growing up in the age of social media. It’s a big thing. I can’t really do anything without a camera being there or without someone saying something about it.”