Three reasons why Nick Kyrgios can win Wimbledon

Friday’s semi-final between the Australian an Rafael Nadal will bristle with animosity if the creaking and injured old Spaniard can get out of bed.

Nick Kyrgios of Australia Picture: Getty Images

Nick Kyrgios was walking from the Aorangi Park practice courts. English newspapermen, TV cameras and a Netflix documentary crew were following him like he was one of the last survivors of Boris Johnson’s cabinet.

Kyrgios turned to his trainer and said, “I feel like I’m in The Last Dance.” Kyrgios can win Wimbledon for three reasons.

One, he’s where he wants to be. Front and centre (court).

Two, he loves a stink. Two grudge matches are on his radar.

Friday’s semi-final against Rafael Nadal will bristle with animosity if the creaking and injured old Spaniard can get out of bed.

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Forget what Kyrgios said about respecting “the hell out of each other,” a line worthy of a British sitcom.

If Kyrgios thinks Nadal regards him so fondly, he must be having a laugh.

After Nadal comes a likely final against Novak Djokovic, who was at bitter loggerheads with Kyrgios before they kissed and made up on Instagram when the world No.1 was tossed out of Australia in January.

The anti-Kyrgios sentiment in London, of which there is plenty, has left Djokovic in the unusual position of no longer being the villain.

He’s never seen the world so bright or heard so much applause.

Three, Kyrgios is playing out of his skin. If he keeps monstering serves, hitting forehands like he’s cracking a whip and poking that funny little backhand around so effectively, the tournament is his for the taking.

“I’ve got a lot left in the tank,” he says. “I feel like I’m probably playing some of my best tennis. Mentally, feeling great.

“It’s been a long road … It’s been a heck of a ride. I don’t want to stop here, either.”

There’s a theory Kyrgios has come good this year because the Netflix cameras are rolling. Hence his reference to The Last Dance, the Netflix production ­focusing on Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls.

Australia's Nick Kyrgios against Chile's Cristian Garin during his quarter-final victory at Wimbledon Picture: AFP

Hence his rather hopeful prediction that his clash against Nadal, if it goes ahead, will be the most watched-match in tennis history. That was a farcical and fanciful comment but it was also layered in hope.

A Wimbledon semi-final and Netflix episode all rolled into one – both the player and producers will get what they want. Eyeballs.

Kyrgios told his long-suffering entourage from the start of the English grasscourt season that he was here to win Wimbledon.

He proved his commitment when he ditched the doubles.

Two bits of news had us sitting by the phone overnight – whether Johnson would resign as PM and whether Nadal would withdraw from Wimbledon – and at the time of writing, Johnson was a goner but Nadal was hanging in there.

Kyrgios could not be in a more dominant position. Fit. Motivated. He was emotional and expansive after reaching his first major semi-final. Lights, camera, action,

“At the end of the day, it’s a tennis match,” he said.

“It’s not everything to me. I love so many things. I love just playing basketball with my mates.

“I love just hanging out, having dinner. It’s a great accomplishment but it’s not something that means everything to me.

“Where some tennis players would be sitting in this chair and be like, ‘this is the moment I’ve been waiting for my entire life, – that’s OK, too.

“People are different. But for me, obviously I’m happy.

“There’s a lot of hard work. There’s a lot of things I’ve had to overcome to get here.

“When I go to bed tonight, I just want to just be Nick Kyrgios. Be normal.”