Nick Kyrgios at the Swiss Indoors: between genius and madness
17/09/2016
written by Simon Häring
Blessed with wit and creativity, Nick Kyrgios transforms tennis courts into stages. His productions enchant, amaze and annoy. But they are never boring. He can soon be seen at the Swiss IndoorsBasel.
His body is tanned, his temples are adorned with artfully shorn tribals. The sun's rays are reflected in the small stone on his left earlobe. He has the slogan "Time is Running Out" tattooed on his left forearm. When Nick Kyrgios runs onto the court, music blares in his ears through pink headphones. This young Australian, who only turned 21 in April, is a phenomenon the likes of which has not been seen on the tennis circuit for a long time. Is he going his own way in search of his place in this sport dominated by tradition and hierarchy?
He has creativity, class and wit: will 21-year-old Nick Kyrgios make it to the top?
Kyrgios is one of the hopes for a future without Federer, Nadal and Djokovic. He is already dividing opinion today. For some, he is an aphrodisiac in a world in which the best players butter each other up and rarely take a stand on issues that go beyond sport. For others, the traditionalists, he is a nuisance who betrays the values of tennis. But he leaves no one cold. The rebel lives in his own world and enjoys his role.
Nick Kyrgios comes from a humble background. His father George has Greek roots and earns his living as a painter, his mother Norlaila is half-Malaysian. The youngest of three children is usually accompanied by his eldest brother Christos, a man with a distinctive bald head. On the pitch, Kyrgios is a force of nature who is in a constant monologue. He shares dissatisfaction as well as delight with the audience. This is refreshing in a world that is otherwise so standardized and civilized. Even if Kyrgios is occasionally fined for it.
Kyrgios likes to flirt with the fact that he doesn't love tennis
Kyrgios played tennis and basketball until he was 14. At 17, he won the Australian Open for juniors and two years later, in 2014, he was ranked 144th in the world and defeated the then number 1 Rafael Nadal at Wimbledon. He will never forget how he plays a ball between his legs from the baseline into the court for a winning shot against the Spaniard's run. He only fails in the quarter-finals of the world's most important tennis tournament. Since then, observers have agreed that the 21-year-old has enough creativity, wit and class to play for victory at the really big tournaments.
However, Kyrgios has not yet found out how he can develop his undisputed talent. He likes to flirt with the fact that he doesn't love tennis. "I like the game, it's a big part of my life." However, he answers the question of whether he tries with all his heart to fulfill his potential with a resounding no. Sometimes he doesn't train for a week. "But I also don't know what I would do without tennis." Kyrgios leads a life between genius and madness.
A year ago, microphones caught him using the wrong words and making a disparaging remark about his opponent Stan Wawrinka's private life. The tennis superiors around Roger Federer, Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic immediately called him to task. Because they once had to find their own place, they admit Kyrgios' mistakes and treat him sympathetically. Two years ago, Federer even invited him to Zurich for training sessions. Murray calls for an end to the media hounding at Wimbledon.
Kyrgios at the Swiss Indoors Basel for the first time
Kyrgios works far harder outside the panning range of cameras and microphones than he himself admits. His progress is unmistakable, on and off the court. He shows the ability to reflect and self-criticize. Elementary building blocks on the way to the top of the world. A coach could also help, but Kyrgios, who says of himself, "I can be a pest", likes being able to do what he wants. In compatriot Lleyton Hewitt (35), the current Davis Cup captain of Australia, he has at least found a kind of mentor from whom he takes advice. Hewitt had considerably less talent, but was the world No. 1 for 80 weeks.
It is not impossible that Kyrgios will one day follow in his footsteps. On his way to the top, the model athlete is now making his first stop at the Swiss Indoors Basel and the St. Jakobshalle. He will be stepping onto a stage that only one world number 1, John Newcombe, has never used for his performances. If Kyrgios keeps the promise he once made, he will soon be one of the greats himself. "Time is running out" does not yet apply to him. At the age of 21, the impatient and gifted player still has plenty of time to find the key to success. Whether he really wants to is another question. One thing is certain: Nick Kyrgios provides the best entertainment even when he's not winning.
Swiss Indoors Basel: Switzerland's bridgehead in world tennis
For the first time in 25 years, Switzerland once again has five tournaments that are part of the major tournament chains: Gstaad and Biel for the women and Gstaad, Geneva and Basel for the men. The Swiss Indoors Basel (St. Jakobshalle, 22 to 30.10.) remains the reference for all tennis fans. The third-largest indoor tournament on the ATP Tour is Switzerland's bridgehead in world tennis. Before the entry list closed, four men from the top ten were already on the list, namely Rafael Nadal (4), Stan Wawrinka (5), Kei Nishikori (6) and Milos Raonic (7). The Canadian Raonic confirmed his ambitions by advancing to the Wimbledon final. Fans are eagerly following Nadal's development (he is taking a break due to injury), who should be physically fresh in the fall. The Spanish superstar starts on Super Monday (October 24), together with Welsh singer Katherine Jenkins.
We would like to thank our guest author Simon Häring for this article. He works as a tennis journalist for Blick.
