‘He’s not relevant’: Why rejuvenated Kyrgios feels sorry for Tomic

Nick Kyrgios walks off the court - the basketball variety, of course - without the weight of the world on his shoulders.

“It’s my meditation,” he says without remorse for adopting a hoops-focused training regime as he prepares to take off on Saturday morning for his Wimbledon assault.

Kyrgios is doing things his way, hand-picking the tournaments he wants to play in, when he wants to play them.

“I’d rather be here living my life,” he says. “Man, this new Sydney lifestyle is so good. I swore that I’d never ever move to Sydney. But love makes you do crazy things, I guess.”

On the other side of the world, his once close friend Bernard Tomic is travelling from continent to continent playing in small-time tournaments trying to rise from No.417 in the world.

In the past week, a war of words has broken out between the former Australian Davis Cup teammates.

“I paid for his flights back from Shanghai because he had no money. For him to come out and attack me is extremely disrespectful, I think.”

Nick Kyrgios

Tomic even telling the Herald and The Age that he would put $1 million on the line in a winner-takes-all tennis match against Kyrgios, before floating the idea of stepping in the ring.

“Bernard is playing some f---ing Future (low-ranked tournament) in Zimbabwe right now,” Kyrgios said after his session at King George V Recreation Centre in The Rocks on Wednesday afternoon.

Australian tennis player Nick Kyrgios playing basketball with friends in The Rocks.Credit: Steven Siewert

“He’s not relevant anymore, he’s not good anymore, and he’s obviously got money issues. For someone who actually tried to stand up for him before and actually try and help him out ... my family helped him out before. I paid for his flights back from Shanghai because he had no money.

“For him to come out and attack me is extremely disrespectful, I think. I am one of the people who actually tried to stand by him and tried to support him.

“First of all, I don’t know who’s going to put the million dollars for him because he’s dead broke. Second of all, I have bigger fish to fry. I’m trying to get ready for Wimbledon and the US Open. But one day if it happens I want 95 per cent of the cut because no one is watching it for him anymore.”

Over the summer, in a raw and heartfelt interview with the Herald, Tomic revealed a fear of his father John, and how his domineering behaviour contributed to his failure to reach his true potential on court.

“I’m still scared of my dad,” Tomic said at the time. “I wouldn’t want to be raising my kid the way I was raised.”

Kyrgios knows those demons more than most, having shared a close bond with Tomic at a certain stage in their respective careers.

Bernard Tomic and Nick Kyrgios playing doubles at the 2014 US Open during a happier time.Credit: Getty

But he also knows, having battled depression and mental issues for the majority of his career, that sometimes you have to take responsibility for your actions.

“He’s got a lot of struggles right now,” Kyrgios said. “I feel for him. I feel sorry for him. He’s had an extremely brutal upbringing and there’s no denying that. But I feel like he’s living in the past now. It’s time to take ownership of your life. Show some accountability and stop making ... He’s talking about things that happened a decade ago.

“If someone calls me out I will obviously respond, but I know at the same time he has some deep-rooted issues. I feel sorry for him. He’s got a lot of life challenges ahead. I know he’s not in a good space.”

It wasn’t long ago Kyrgios was in a dark place himself, recently admitting to having “suicidal thoughts” during his troubles.

It’s why his carefree work-life balance, which now revolves around a new life in Sydney with girlfriend Costeen Hatzi, has changed his outlook.

“Pressure for me is a single mum trying to figure out how to pay the next bill,” he said. “I don’t think I have a life pressure or pressure to play tennis. I just don’t want to be travelling eight months of the year to play tennis. I feel like there is a changing of the guard.

“Athletes now are not afraid to speak up and say they are struggling mentally, which is great. Athletes are almost forced - no matter how much they are struggling with off-court things or family things or relationships - they are forced to go out there and play which only amplifies these other problems.

“I just don’t like that. They are humans at the end of the day. I like the fact that athletes are speaking up and taking time away. It’s good. I think it’s healthy.”

Having interviewed Kyrgios after his first Australian Open match in 2014, and many times along the way since, there’s a notable difference in his demeanour.

“That happens when you stop giving a f---,” he says. “I was young. I was more inclined to taking negative comments seriously and what people said about me.

“The world is f---ed up. I just literally try and wake up, day by day, figure out my problems, stay positive and try and get better and try and help people. That’s it. It’s too complicated otherwise.”

It’s clear that Kyrgios’ passion lies with basketball. It’s why he plans on walking out of a tournament in Majorca to travel to the United States if his beloved Boston Celtics take the Golden State Warriors to game six or seven in the NBA finals.

Nick Kyrgios at King George V Recreation Centre in The Rocks on Wednesday.Credit: Steven Siewert

How long he continues the part-time tennis player role remains unknown, but his motivation is clear.

“There are a lot of people who want me to keep playing,” he said. “I play for a lot of people with this mental health side of things and the way I came out. I feel like there are a lot of people who have faith in watching me play against the gods like Rafa [Rafael Nadal]. To see that someone like me can still go out there with all those dark times and demons still in the back of my head, I think that gives a lot of people hope.

“I just want to keep proving that you can do it your way. I want to be remembered as someone who did it their way and never conformed to the way society or the tennis world wants you to fit in. I think people of colour, people have loud personalities, can fit in on the tennis court and do it their way and do some special things.”

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