Nick Kyrgios receives two strong pieces of advice from Todd Woodbridge

WITH a nation still riding on the Nick Kyrgios Express ahead of the US Open, an Aussie tennis legend provides a reality check.

NICK Kyrgios shocked the world when he knocked over Rafael Nadal on his way to this year’s Wimbledon quarter-finals.

Expectations are high that he can do it again at next week’s US Open on a lightning fast surface that suits his big serve and power game.

Australian tennis legend Todd Woodbridge said it wouldn’t surprise him if Kyrgios made a Wimbledon-like run once again in New York, but warned things are different for the Canberra teenager now than they were just two months ago.

“The US Open is a great tournament for him. In terms of his entire career long-term, I think he will have his best performances at a US Open,” Woodbridge told news.com.au.

“Coming into the tournament, he is primed to have another great result.

“The ‘but’ to go with that is that the tour have had a little more opportunity now to take a look at him and to work out his strengths and weaknesses and build game plans and strategies to play against him.”

Nick Kyrgios celebrates his victory over Rafael Nadal in the 2014 Wimbledon fourth round.

Woodbridge’s second concern was how quickly Kyrgios would be able to adapt to his newfound fame, given it has all happened so fast.

He’s even doing Bonds ads now.

“I saw him when he came back to Australia a few weeks ago and he looked really good and sounded really good but now it’s about coming to grips with how much of the time is taken away from you from other parts of the sport — whether that be more media to talk to or making Bonds commercials and all types of new experiences for him.

“That’s a big adjustment you have to make. It happened very quickly for him. He’s wanted by everybody.”

But asked if he expected Kyrgios to make a run to the US Open second week, Woodbridge said:

“It certainly wouldn’t surprise me. Of course it will depend on the draw — he will need a bit of luck in getting the right seed and those sorts of things — but he has that ability to win big matches.

“The other thing with Nick is he will love playing in New York. That tournament suits him because it’s a high-energy tournament and that’s the sort of bloke he is.

“He likes the crowd, he likes the coolness of New York and what the tournament style is all about.

Kyrgios poses for Bonds with two-time US Open champion Pat Rafter.

“He’s got a game that really suits the US Open,” added Woodbridge, a 16-time grand slam doubles champion.

“Nick has the big serving and the big forehand that he can win points quickly with. We saw that at Wimbledon but this is a surface that really does suit him well.”

Despite the warnings, Woodbridge believes Kyrgios has the right people around him to deal with a momentous phase in his career.

“It’s all about having good mentors around him and Nick is pretty lucky,” Woodbridge said.

“He’s come through a period now in Australian tennis not unlike what I was fortunate enough to have. By that I mean he’s got Pat Rafter around and I’ve been around him at times he knows I’m there if he needs me.

“He’s got Josh Eagle who’s had a lot of experience and you often need people there to shake you up occasionally and say, ‘No,’ or tell you to pull your head in and we had that with John Newcombe and Tony Roche.

“Plus he’s got a very solid foundation at home.”