Australian Open 2020: The new Nick Kyrgios transforms against Rafael Nadal
There once was an ugly duckling, with feathers all stubby and blonde-streaked. And the other birds in so many words said, “For heaven’s sake, grow up.”
And he has. The Nick Kyrgios who fought to the bitter end in a four-set thriller against world No 1 Rafael Nadal on Monday night appears to have cast off the bad attitude of the ugly duckling he once was.
Kyrgios lost, but he went down fighting hard and was resilient in defeat. In an enthralling clash that contained some of the most thrilling tennis of the Australian Open so far, he played as if he cared.
‘One more effort, one more effort’
As he sat at a change of ends in the fourth set, with Nadal about to serve for the match, a microphone picked up Kyrgios muttering: “One more effort, one more effort.” After three and a half hours on court, against the best player in the world, he was still willing to fight and still desperate to win.
It was not always the case. The Nick Kyrgios of even a few months ago might not have been fit enough to battle through four sets because of his unwillingness to train. He might have lost interest when the going got tough and given up trying. He might have got into a blue with the umpire, or the fans, or his own box. He might have gone to the post-match press conference and found someone else to blame for his demise.
Even now, Kyrgios remains under a suspended sentence after a series of offences last year including verbally abusing an umpire and spitting towards an official at the Cincinnati Masters in August.
But the Kyrgios who turned up to play in Australia this summer, a few months shy of his 25th birthday, is showing real signs of maturing.
He won over a lot of the doubters when he kickstarted a fundraising response to the bushfire crisis among athletes that has so far raised millions of dollars.
He is working with strength and conditioning coach Ashcon Rezazadeh, who has managed to get him into the gym and on to the practice court. As a result he is far better equipped to face the rigours of going deep into grand slam tournaments.
His clash with Nadal came two days after a five-set marathon against Russian Karen Khachanov on Saturday night.
Clearly he was showing signs of the wear and tear, but he hung in there, winning the second set and forcing both the third and fourth to tie-breakers.
That’s not to say that there wasn’t fireworks and broken racquets. The volatility and incandescence of Kyrgios was well and truly on display — as it should be, it’s one of things that draws fans to watch him.
But there was none of the sulky petulance that has sullied his performances in the past. The man who could be one of Australia’s greatest ever tennis players appears to have cast aside the stubby feathers of the ugly duckling and revealed the warm, intelligent, talented young man underneath.
A very fine swan indeed.
More Coverage
Men of honour – Sinner and Cahill face an uncertain future, no?
Jannik Sinner and his Australian supercoach Darren Cahill, revered globally but under-appreciated locally, were the epitome of gracious victors. But a CAS hearing in April looms.
‘Among most educated’: Tiley rejects Bogan Slam tag
There was no shortage of drama at the AO. TA boss Craig Tiley addresses Alexander Zverev’s heckler, overloaded, raucous crowds and will we see the GOAT of Melbourne Park return?