Nick Kyrgios slams ‘sick’ Aussie tennis greats in Wimbledon press conference

Nick Kyrgios used his final press conference ahead of the Wimbledon final to take a big swing at Aussie tennis royalty.

Nick Kyrgios is going to keep it real – even as he approaches what he describes as the “pinnacle” of his sport.

The Aussie tennis star was short on sleep and in an excitable mood as he conducted his final press conference ahead of Sunday’s Wimbledon final against Novak Djokovic.

But a seemingly harmless question about what it would be like to join the greats of Australian tennis who had won Wimbledon elicited a lengthy response about what he sees as a “sick obsession” with tearing him down.

Kyrgios smiled before calling it how he sees it.

“The greats of Australian tennis, they haven’t always been the nicest to me, personally,” Kyrgios said.

“They haven’t always been supportive – and they haven’t been supportive these two weeks. So it’s hard for me to read things they say about me.

“For example when I saw Ash Barty in the final for Australia I was nothing but happy. I would never say a bad word about an Australian making a final. That’s just me.

“The only great that’s ever been supportive of me the whole time has been Lleyton Hewitt.

“He’s our Davis Cup captain and he knows that I kind of do my own thing. I’m definitely the outcast of the Australian players. He knows to keep his distance and let me do me. He sends me a message now and then, ‘keep going’, literally that’s it, just ‘well done, keep going’.”

Lleyton Hewitt and Nick Kyrgios at the 2020 ATP Cup. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)

Pat Cash (standing) was sitting with John Newcombe at centre court during Novak Djokovic's semifinal. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

1987 Wimbledon champion Pat Cash has been the most notable detractor of Kyrgios this fortnight, accusing the 27-year-old of cheating, abuse and aggressive behaviour during his third-round clash against Stefanos Tsitsipas.

Cash believed his comments were “fair and reasonable” but it appears Kyrgios does not.

“It’s pretty sad because I don’t get any support from any of the other Australian tennis players, the male side,” he said.

“Not the players, I mean the past greats. It’s weird they just have like a sick obsession with tearing me down for some reason.

“Whether they don’t like me or they’re afraid … I don’t know what it is. But it sucks because if roles were reversed and I saw de Minaur in the final, or Jordan Thompson or Thanasi, I’d be pumped, I’d be stoked. I’d be having a pint watching going nuts.

“So I don’t know – shout out to Lleyton I guess.”

Kyrgios branded ‘Wimbledon’s worst nightmare’

It hasn’t just been former players lining Kyrgios up during this tournament. The UK’s Telegraph newspaper carried a story on Thursday labelling his progression to the final as “Wimbledon’s worst nightmare”.

“If Wimbledon were to select the first player in the Open era to receive a walkover into the final, you doubt Kyrgios would be uppermost in their minds,” chief sports writer Oliver Brown wrote.

“For here is a man who has weaved mayhem all fortnight, gratuitously abusing line judges with no power to defend themselves, while delivering a display of such supreme malevolence against Stefanos Tsitsipas that the Greek branded him a “bully” with an “evil side”. Truly, he makes John McEnroe look like a King’s College choirmaster …

“The very thought of him accepting the golden Challenge Cup from the Duchess of Cambridge is enough to make denizens of the members’ balcony gag on their strawberries.”

The article in the Telegraph.

Nick Kyrgios answers questions from the media on Friday.

Kyrgios was made aware of the article by a reporter during his press conference but has had enough experience dealing with negative press not to let it ruffle his feathers.

“I didn’t read it, I didn’t see it,” he said. “Looks, it’s hard. It’s something I have to deal with. That’s the world we live in, I guess. I’m in a Wimbledon final and I know deep down everything I’ve been through and everything I’ve worked for. So I’m just going to enjoy the ride. If that’s what they want to write, that’s what they want to write. I can control what I do. I’m just going to go out and enjoy the moment. Since I was born only eight people have won this title. Eight people. So I’m just going to give it my best shot.”

Kyrgios planned an extended training session on Friday to go some way to replicate the experience of playing a match after Rafael Nadal withdrew from their semi-final with injury.

The Canberra native said going three days without a match would be a “shock to the system” and the excitement of playing in his first grand slam final had put him through a sleepless night.

“My first feeling (after hearing about Nadal’s withdrawal) was a bit of disappointment. My energy was so focused on playing him and tactically how I’m going to go out there and play,” Kyrgios said.

Nick Kyrgios warms up for a practice session on Friday with girlfriend Costeen Hatzi. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)

“It’s not the way I wanted to get to the final. As a competitor, I really did want that match.

“We’ve both taken a win against each other at this tournament. I really did want to see how the third chapter was going to go. And obviously you never want to see someone like that – who is so important to the sport – go down with an injury. I hope he recovers and I’m sure I’ll see him again on a big stage.”