WHY NOT! Nick Kyrgios fancies his chances at the 2023 Australian Open
Having won the 2022 Australian Open in Doubles, Nick Kyrgios has reignited the desire to take home a singles Grand Slam title and this year's event in Melbourne Park could be it.
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Nick Kyrgios
Nick Kyrgios is a character. A character you love or hate. All the same, he is a character who cannot be ignored. With the draw for the Australian Open made on Thursday in Melbourne, all talk is of Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic being in opposite halves.
Which means, predictions are, they run into each other in the final. Ah, how easy is that, sitting in the drawing room or working out in the gym and glossing through the draw sheet on the phone or tab and making a prediction! It takes seven rounds to win a Grand Slam, through two weeks, and then come out tops.
Rafa and Novak have done it, over and over again. It has been methodical, though not mechanical. They have different styles of play, left and right. One is a muscle man (Novak) who grinds out points as well as outhits opponents. Off late, Rafa is complaining about long matches.
A bit strange, that, as he would play such long points on clay, fans would be flipping a newspaper page. Age? Maybe. Wanting to cut down on schedule? Not possible.
That brings us to players who have great character. A bit like an enfant terrible, a bit like Crazy Croat Goran Ivanisevic, who thought the entire world was against him when he played.
Related: “Guy is clueless,” Nick Kyrgios slams Pat Rafter for his harsh comments on the “Special K’s”
Nick Kyrgios brings back memories of Goran Ivanisevic
Crazy, eccentric, maverick, all these words suited Goran. That he attained nirvana in 2001 at The Championships in Wimbledon was magic. That, too, on People’s Monday, the third Monday of a Grand Slam. To borrow a pet phrase of Goran (unbelaavbuul) as he finally won a Grand Slam title as a wild card. The odds on betting tills at that time were 1: 1000!
Well, one day, you could hope Nick Kyrgios does something similar. He is a bit in the Goran mold, cranky, wonky, but knows when to crank up. He almost did it at Wimbledon 2022, winning matches with ease. That was before he ran into a bull called Novak Djokovic. The problem with the Serbian is he can break down rivals. He has many methods, some tennis, some mental, some sheer mind games, and some with his ice-cool nerves and that cold, hungry stare.
Nick Kyrgios lost the final, he was upset, and tons of criticism came for him at Big W. He was called a choker, a pet phrase in tennis. Nick kept quiet, kind of, given his propensity to explode like TNT or raise a storm. How about Nick Kyrgios in his own country as he prepares for the season’s first Grand Slam, seemingly low on match practice.
Does he really need it? His “injury” for the United Cup was shrouded in mystery. Now, the maverick is in The Zone, he says. His quotes on Thursday were refreshing, showing a change in mindset, something so important. He knows the media glare will be on him. Nick Kyrgios, who won the doubles title last year in Melbourne with Thanasi Kokkinakis, did well.
“It’s a bit different this time around for me, being one of the favorites. Usually, I’m kind of like a dark horse … but after the year I’ve had, I’m one of the favorites, so it’s kind of new for me,” he said on Thursday. He went on to add, “I don’t know what I’ll be feeling when I’m out there – usually I’ve got ‘nothing to lose’ type thing and put on a show – but I’ve really got to find a balance [this time].”
These quotes from the Aussie mate, a true stud in tennis with the earring and kind of glare in place, reflect optimism. The problem with hype is it increases pressure. Pressure is something that is dealt with differently, each player has his own way of handling it. Some have a shout-and-scream process, some keep quiet. Some break rackets, like Nick Kyrgios!
He does not pay for it, so do not feel bad, please. Above all this, Nick needs to pour out his emotions, through play and mannerisms on the court. Sport loves characters, not boring duds. He is a dude, not many will like him, still. But then, Nick should not care. His wait for a Grand Slam title is getting delayed. Can 2023 be the year? Fasten your seat belts and watch the action, starting Down Under on Monday.
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S Kannan
(382 Articles Published)