by Bob Stockton
@BobStockton10
For many competitors, their life-long goal is to reach the pinnacle of their sport and achieve sustained success. Oddly, however, in the case of Nick Kyrgios, it appears more evident that tennis needs him, as opposed to the other way around. The relationship that the 25-year-old has had with the sport since turning professional in 2013 has been something of a roller coaster.
Despite his undeniable talent and unique approach to the game, the Australian is widely considered to be the anti-hero of modern-day tennis. So, let’s take a look at why tennis is better for having Kyrgios.
Central to the Sport’s Eventual Changing of the Guard
With Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Roger Federer dominating tennis for much of the past two decades, the sport will inevitably go through a transition period following their declines or retirements. In fact, there’s a belief that 2020 has been a year of change regarding tennis’ outlook, with Dominic Thiem seemingly stepping up to the plate to stamp his authority, as per Medium.
This alteration opens the door for Kyrgios to better his existing record concerning Grand Slam singles results. To date, the 25-year-old hasn’t made it beyond the quarter-finals of a major event, reaching the last eight at Wimbledon in 2014 and the 2015 Australian Open. For all of the Australian’s flaws, his record has yet to reflect his talent. Following his match with 19-time Grand Slam winner, Nadal, at the 2020 Australian Open, the Spaniard labelled Kyrgios as one of the world’s best players regarding talent, as per Tennis365.
Going forward, if Kyrgios can intertwine his talent with hard work, then he’ll likely claim numerous Grand Slams over the coming years. At present, the 25-year-old is priced at 30/1 with tennis betting to win the 2021 Australian Open, as of September 4th. Realistically, his home event is one that he should be targeting, especially with tennis’ big three continuing to age.
Sport is all About Characters and Personalities
The Canberra-born player is an enigma in tennis. Regardless of public opinions, spectators will often tune in to watch him play. Whether that’s because of his unpredictability or trademark underarm serve, there’s long been a widespread interest in his matches since he turned professional. Even though he’ll struggle to win everyone over, his modernised approach to the sport is refreshing after years of three-man dominance.
Fundamentally, one of the main reasons that old-school tennis fanatics have thus far struggled to appreciate Kyrgios’ on-court methods is because they are far from traditional, according to Snack Media. In turn, this is why the 25-year-old has developed the reputation of being an anti-hero. While his demeanour occasionally resembles someone uninterested in their profession, his relaxed style is what results in him playing unprecedented shots. Although his effort levels aren’t always admirable, spectators love to watch him in full flight attempting the audacious.
The Genius That Attracts Spectators
Kyrgios isn’t like any other player in modern tennis, as his breath taking shots aren’t often meticulously calculated. Instead, they’re executed through instinct. While many traditionalists may prefer the Australian to adopt a more respectful approach, his fearless style is what makes him one of tennis’ main attractions. Love him or hate him, the sports needs Kyrgios. He’s a breath of fresh air within a predictably-dominant game
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