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Nick Kyrgios: The corporate athlete

Roar Rookie
20th July, 2015
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Nick Kyrgios was forced to retire from the Queen's tournament. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Roar Rookie
20th July, 2015
15
1495 Reads

An embarrassment to the green and gold, for Nick Kyrgios, it’s a long way back from here.

After a poor performance and once again embarrassing himself with his on-court antics, the division in opinion over Kyrgios seems to be decreasing as the Australian public all run to the same side of the fence.

Friday’s Davis Cup loss wasn’t the first time we have seen his antics at their finest. And to say he behaved like a two-year-old would be an insult to the younger cohort of our world.

The difference this time? Kyrgios wasn’t just representing himself. He was a representing a team. A team that was selected to represent their country; the greatest honour in any sport.

So when Nick cried out ‘I don’t want to be here’ down two sets to one and an early break in the fourth set, he laid out the ultimate gesture of disrespect. He disrespected his country and the pride a sporting nation have in their elite teams.

He disrespected his teammates who had fought hard to put the team in a position to have a home quarter-final and feature once again in the world group. He disrespected all those who have never had the opportunity to represent Australia in a Davis Cup tie.

To use a football cliché representing a team is all about having pride in the guernsey. Kyrgios’ words have shown that in the green and gold, he has absolutely none.

The individual sport of tennis has a history of self-centred athletes focused purely on their own brand. Serena Williams has spoken many times about her dislike for the sport of tennis. For her tennis is purely a job and source of income. Where she differs Kyrgios is her ability to still take pride and have respect for representing the USA in the Federation Cup (the equivalent female competition to Davis Cup).

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Kyrgios’ antics prove him to be the ultimate ‘corporate athlete’. While he certainly isn’t the first Australian to venture down this path, time has proven it often shows a lot of potential and minimal success. The likes of Mark Philippoussis and Bernard Tomic spring to mind.

The argument that Nick Kyrgios is still young is wearing thin at an increasing rate. And in the same fortnight that Tomic was banned, Tennis Australia have an opportunity to unofficially ban Nick, by dropping him indefinitely from the squad. His lack of respect is astounding, and the time to act is now.

And if Nick is not phased by his dropping? Well, the decision will be justified all the more.

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