The attraction.
In Melbourne, as elsewhere, Nick Kyrgios is a figure.
Unpredictable, spectacular, the whimsical Australian, capable of the best and the worst, shared the bill this Friday with Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Co.
The 15,000 tickets for a training session on Friday, organized for the benefit of a charity staged by the organizers of the Australian Open, were snapped up in less than an hour.
To attend the remake of the last Wimbledon final.
To applaud the return of the Serb to Melbourne, a year after his expulsion.
To accompany the terrible child of Australian tennis.
“
Get ready for explosive action when the best enemies descend on Rod Laver Arena for an exciting practice match.
“, announced the organizers on Twitter.
To discover
Australian Open: men's schedule and results
Australian Open: ladies schedule and results
Nick Kyrgios, before diving into the tournament, assured: “
I am one of the best players in the world.
I will approach the tournament with confidence.
I proved that I could go far in a Grand Slam.
It's a bit different for me to be one of the favourites, usually I'm an underdog.
It's the first time I feel like I'm one of the guys who can win the trophy.
I hope that with the support of Australia, I can live two good weeks.
»
The Australian will launch his campaign against the Russian Roman Safiullin (98th in the world).
Last year, Nick Kyrgios upset Daniil Medvedev in the second round of the Australian Open, before stepping aside.
Then to console himself with the double title, in the company of his accomplice Thanasi Kokkinakis.
After having, over the laps, ensured the show.
Nick Kyrgios' best result in Melbourne dates back to 2015 (stopped in the quarter-finals by Andy Murray).
He signed a few campaigns which only required one or two additional episodes to tip Melbourne into hysteria (stopped in the round of 16 by Grigor Dimitrov in 2018, after seeing Jo-Wilfried Tsonga released; eliminated in the round of 16 in 2020 after knocking out Karen Khachanov in 5 epic sets).
But each time the volcano had died out too soon.
Carried away by the inconstancy of the lightness of being.
A rare and precious spark in a police environment
But since a final experienced at Wimbledon last July, Nick Kyrgios, flammable, uncontrollable, capable of all excesses, followed by all the most spectacular blows, ensures that he blends into the obligations imposed by the high level.
Spectacular winner of the Russian Daniil Medvedev in the quarter-finals of the last US Open, the Australian had shown his ability to chain and displayed a new will.
"
I think I have reduced some of my weaknesses.
I really analyzed what I needed to improve at the start of the year, and worked on it really hard.
Even if I am not this player who was once 13th in the world (in 2016), I think I have become again.
And I even think I'm better than that.
I have matured so much.
When I play badly, I accept it, when I play well, I embrace the moment.
But I remain the same (…) There is so much pressure every time I enter the court, so many expectations.
When I was really struggling mentally, I felt so depressed all the time, I felt sorry for myself.
I was very selfish.
Then I realized how much I was letting my loved ones down and I wanted it to stop.
I raised my head, decided to get back in shape right away
on board.
Then we'll see how it goes.
Obviously, winning helps.
The motivation is there.
It's easier to train, to wake up when things are going well.
In New York, he walked around with the label of favorite, before being mowed down in the semi-finals by Karen Khachanov.
A brutal, bitter end to the adventure: “
I feel like shit.
I have the impression of having let down so many people (…) The other tournaments do not interest me too much.
Now that I've had success in a Grand Slam, it's as if the other tournaments didn't really matter
, ”he delivered with a dull look, his shoulders hunched before turning his back.
At 27, after having gone through hardships (two years haunted by depression and suicidal thoughts), Nick Kyrgios (21st in the world) appreciates finding the front of the stage.
He wants to keep moving forward on a thread.
According to his desires, his deviations, his game. Dependent on pitfalls.
Hit in an ankle, he could not line up for the United Cup or the Adelaide tournament, but his entourage assures that he should be in full possession of his means to appear on the starting line of a 10th Australian Open.
With his strengths and weaknesses, the incomparable Australian remains a formidable source of curiosity.
A rare and precious spark in a police environment.
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