Time is not running out: Nick Kyrgios and an impatient nation

By now, we all know the name Nick Kyrgios – if not for his spirited second-round loss at the 2014 Australian Open, then certainly his giant-killing run at that year’s Wimbledon, followed up by his quarter-final run at this year’s Australian.

Kyrgios is now a player to watch, a commodity, a reserve of talent that a nation starved of tennis success expects to mine over the next few years.

He’s also a polariser – daily stories ran in newspapers during the Open questioning the 19-year-old’s every move. The swagger is strong in this one, and with star power comes scrutiny.

Again, remember he’s 19.

In the Canberra tennis community, Kyrgios’ name is uniformly well-regarded. He donates time and prizes to fundraising efforts by local clubs. He is by all accounts affable and decent, the product of extraordinary talent, a stable family, and community-focused upbringing.

But aren’t we keen on having a champ again? It was there in the way Channel Seven followed, quite literally, his every move. Kyrgios-cam, tracing the spent lad out of Hicense arena after his stirring victory over Andreas Seppi was a new low in multichannel broadcasting. We watched Kyrgios put his bags in a car. We followed that car through the grounds. We watched as Kyrgios alighted, heading into the rooms for a massage. The camera would’ve followed him into the bathroom stalls if it weren’t for security.

For a long time we have looked at the way England’s press have abused their sporting stars and cried foul. But our national obsessions have the coverage to suit, and the amount of attention directed at the young Canberran is of a particular tone.

Character tests are occurring in those articles on behaviour. It’s almost as though the nation’s affections are being measured. We can’t afford to get behind another star only to have them turn Tomic.

He possesses striking technical talent, but the reason Kyrgios inspires genuine excitement is his ability to unleash these talents at the right moments. In his defining victory against Rafael Nadal, Kyrgios served 37 aces and hit 70 clean winners. On centre court, at Wimbledon, against the world number 1, Kyrgios did not flinch or tighten. This is the quality that excites pundits, maintaining an arm loose enough to hit under extraordinary pressure.

It’s what makes his tennis so enthralling, this fearlessness. But it is a limitation. Combine his proven explosiveness and big-match ability with a solid defence and we’re looking at a likely champion. Just not yet.

The message here is that, at 19, Kyrgios is becoming a figure who is expected to win. It’s a level of pressure that a kid doesn’t need.

When quizzed on Kyrgios moments after he’d beaten him at this year’s Open, Andy Murray spoke of letting him develop. As Great Britain’s only men’s champion in 77 years, he knows a little about what expectation can do to a young star.

Kyrgios has made two grand slam quarter-finals, the first teen to do so since Roger Federer. He’ll start peaking around age 23, being at the height of his powers around 24 to 27. If he remains free of significant injury he’ll play around 36 grand slam tournaments, and on his current trajectory he’ll probably be among the favourites for, say, 12 to 16 of those.

But all in due course. His body has not held up to the rigours of the tour so far. The wrist, back and ankle have all suffered. They need to be strong and supple for success to follow. Too much too soon is no good at all.

Kyrgios may have recently added a tattoo reading ‘time is running out’ to his right forearm, but both he and the nation need to relax. His time will come. We must be patient until it does.