Shane Warne was right about Nick Kyrgios … six years ago

If only world No.86 Nick Kyrgios had taken the advice of Shane Warne

Nick Kyrgios was fresh off his cringe-worthy Kokkinakis-banged-your-girlfriend humiliation of Stan Wawrinka and Donna Vekic, constantly tanking matches, behaving deplorably and repeatedly saying he hated the sport that had given him fame and fortune when Shane Warne sent him a message on Facebook.
It read: “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.”
Warne added: “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 …”

Shane Warne. Picture: Alex Coppel

It was an interesting intervention because Warne and Kyrgios, barely out of his teens at the time, had certain similarities. The gifts of showmanship, flair, extraordinary natural talent and the opportunity to be masters of their crafts. Both of them sought a good time. But while Warne fully embraced the challenge of getting the most from himself as an athlete, Kyrgios was already shying away from it. It takes courage to have a proper crack.
Warne’s message fell on deaf ears and blind eyes. He never received a reply. Around that time, at the 2015 US Open, Kyrgios revealed a fresh tattoo: “Time Is Running Out.” A year later, he was the world number 13 and the best young player in the world by the length of the Hume Highway. Time was his friend but now even time is losing patience with him.
Now he’s 26 years of age, ranked 86 in the world, playing part-time and trudging through early-round losses. His first-round US Open match is against Spain’s little warrior Roberto Bautista Agut at 10.15am on Tuesday.
Kyrgios now seems dedicated to selling tickets and making money. Personal bests mean nothing to him. The joy of the fight. The satisfaction in getting fitter, faster, stronger. The supreme ecstasy of setting a goal and achieving it – that’s what gets true sportspeople out of bed in the morning.

You have to be brave enough to put yourself out there in sport. Swallow your pride and concede you might fail. For such an electrifying performer, Kyrgios has a curiously bland approach to winning and losing.
He’s not fearlessly chasing dreams like Ash Barty. That’s his loss. Warne was right all along. The joy of sport is in rolling up the sleeves and having a rumble. Digging your heels in and relishing the battle. You’ll win some and lose some., because you care. You’ll ride highs and lows, because you care. You become mature and tough enough to handle disappointments. If you’re not all in, it’s a cop-out.
Olympians and Paralympians have busted their guts in Tokyo. They’ve been glorious. If it’s difficult to watch Queensland swimmer Grant “Scooter” Patterson without being inspired, it’s hard to watch Kyrgios bomb out of tournaments without being deflated. Every time he quits a training session, a match, a tournament, the only person really missing out is him. He’s yet to have a proper crack.
Come 10.15am Tuesday, however, I’ll be firing up the Kayo to tune in. Cameo appearances are enjoyable while they last. I sense indifference to him these days. He’s never listened to advice, but there’s one knowledgeable, equally charismatic, similarly gifted bloke he should have lent an ear to a long time ago. Warne. His spin on things, as always, was on the money.