Nick Kyrgios: Shane Warne pens open letter of advice

As if being chided by Shane Warne wasn’t bad enough, Nick Kyrgios has copped it from our greatest tennis player.

Nick Kyrgios has received some free career advice from none other than Shane Warne.

As if being counselled by Shane Warne wasn’t bad enough, now Nick Kyrgios has copped it from our greatest tennis player.

Kyrgios has been given some career advice from a man who had his share of sporting mishaps: former Test spinner Warne.

Warne, who overcame off-field controversies to become a cricket legend, reached out to Kyrgios after the 20-year-old’s first round loss to Andy Murray at the US Open.

He posted the following letter to Kyrgios on his Facebook page:

Dear Nick Kyrgios,

We all realise you’re only 20 & have a lot to learn buddy. But please don’t waste your talent, everyone in the world, especially us Australians want to respect u. Remember respect is way more important than being liked, u need to respect the game of tennis & yourself. We all make mistakes, but it’s how we learn from them & the way we conduct ourselves when we lose that shows true character. You’re testing our patience mate, show us what you’re made of & how hungry you are to be the best in the world, it’s time to step up & start winning, no excuses. No shame in losing, but show us you will never give up, that you will give it everything to be the best you can be, respect is earned not given ! I believe in you & know you can do it, but now’s the time my friend...

Rod Laver weighed in today, warning Kyrgios must change to realise his potential as a champion.

Other Australian sporting identities weren’t so kind when they chipped in today. AFL great Tim Watson labelled Kyrgios a “tosser” during an appearance on Melbourne radio. AFL premiership coach David Parkin described the world No.37 as “the most disgraceful Australian athlete I think I have ever seen”.

Laver said Kyrgios possessed huge ability, but he needed to apply himself consistently throughout matches.

“His mouth and his antics have taken over and unfortunately you can’t get anywhere being this way,” Laver said.

“You’ve got to be able to concentrate on the match at hand.”

“I saw some unbelievable shots against Murray, but doing that for a game or two isn’t going to win you a match,” Laver told BBC 5 Live.

He believed Kyrgios’ new mentor Lleyton Hewitt could hold the key to unlocking the enigmatic 20-year-old’s potential.

“Lleyton shows the class that he is and the consistency that he has in his own game,” Laver said.

“Trying to impart some of that into Nick’s game would be ideal. “Nick is a great asset that Australia has if we can get him turned around into playing his best game.

“His best game can win a lot of matches and he can be a champion in his own right.”

At least Warne kept his letter positive.

Advice has been flowing in for Kyrgios, who faces a month-long ban from the tour if he transgresses in the next six months after a recent on-court sledge of an opponent.

John McEnroe, the scourge of tennis umpires in the 1970s and ‘80s, warned during his US Open defeat that Kyrgios was wasting his talent on “boneheaded plays”.

McEnroe lauded Kyrgios for his “top-five skills” but warned “time is slipping away” for the two-time grand slam quarter-finalist to reach his potential.

“I hope he learns from these bonehead moves. He should be a seed already, at least 20,” he said.

“You don’t want to be remembered as a clown. You want to be remembered as a player.

“So he better step up. Otherwise he won’t be talked about too much.”

Kyrgios has turned to Hewitt, another tennis champion with a chequered past, in an effort to get back on track.

The former world number one number one and two-time grand slam winner overcame an, at times, rocky relationship with officials and fans to become a hugely respected elder statesman of the tour.

On Tuesday, Hewitt watched as Kyrgios lost to third-seeded Murray, and last week he hosted the youngster at his Bahamas base.

McEnroe says Kyrgios couldn’t have a better man in his corner.

ESPN listed Hewitt as the coachless Kyrgios’ “adviser” and, commentating for the network, McEnroe said it was a masterstroke to turn to “one of the greatest competitors in the history of tennis”.

“It’s a good move from Kyrgios. It could be just what the doctor ordered,” he said.

A big fan of Kyrgios, McEnroe said he was as much concerned about the two-time grand slam quarter-finalist’s loose game management as his conduct.

“Obviously that next guy he gets to coach him is going to be extremely important to him; to get the right guy, the right people around him,” McEnroe said.

Hewitt said he sympathised with Kyrgios.

“I do feel for him. He’s a good kid,” Hewitt said after advancing to the second round at Flushing Meadows for the 13th time.

“As a bloke, he’s pretty reserved for how you see him on the court.

“He trusts me at least, which is a big step forward. Obviously I’ve been able to earn that trust being in Davis Cup teams and showing that I do care about his career.”

Pre-tournament, Kyrgios said Hewitt’s influence had been huge and that he valued being able to talk to the dual grand slam champion.

“We speak about everything,” Hewitt said, without revealing any specific advice he may have offered the controversial youngster.

Six-times major winner and former world No.1 Boris Becker, now coaching the top-ranked Novak Djokovic, was another interested observer at Kyrgios’ match.

The German dubbed Kyrgios “a character”, but said he needed to tone down his on-court antics and start making headlines for his tennis instead of his trash talking.

“I’ve learned that he’s extremely talented, that he could be a much better player if he stopped his talk,” Becker said.