At the time of writing, Nick Kyrgios was ready to play Roger Federer in the Miami Open semi final and was on the verge of his first ITP 1000 tour success.
Win or lose, it has been a great month or so for Kyrgios, including two wins over Novak Djokovic and two wins also over fellow young gun Alexander Zverev.
But it has been the manner of his success that has got the tennis world talking. Over the past two months, we have seen a more composed Nick Kyrgios and, even though he is always going to be volatile, he has managed to control himself, get through difficult periods and keep winning.
The quarter final win over Zverev went to three tight sets, but Kyrgios managed to hold on, while finding the time for a few trick shots and even a shout out to Zverev that he should challenge a line call, resulting in a replayed point and a lost point to Kyrgios. You get the feeling that these two have a respect that will continue for years to come.
If we cast our mind back to the Australian Open in January, it was a completely different story. Kyrgios lost in five sets to Andreas Seppi in the second round after winning the first two sets comfortably, and then left Hisense Arena to a chorus of boos. The press conference was equally bizarre, with Kyrgios indicating his physical preparation wasn’t ideal and that mentally he wasn’t in a good space. Many thought that Kyrgios would throw the towel in, and most didn’t care.
Then came Lleyton Hewitt and the Davis Cup. That Davis Cup against the Czech Republic at Kooyong saved Kyrgios’ career. Spending time with Lleyton and the team helped him to regain his best form and get the crowd on his side.
Along with the return to the tour of his girlfriend, Ajla Tomljanovic, Kyrgios now had an expanded support crew on tour, which he clearly needs. Straight after the Miami Open, he will be heading to Brisbane for the Davis Cup tie against the United States.
Kyrgios’ career appears to be sky-rocketing and his current ranking of 16 could soon lift into the top 10. Meanwhile, Bernard Tomic continues to decline, shortly out of the top 50, and I strongly doubt that he will be back.
Kyrgios has always had more ‘x-factor’ about his game than Tomic, but the division between the two is more due to Kyrgios admitting that he was a mess and needed help. The coach is still to be appointed but this time it is likely to happen.
Of course, the realists among us will suggest that Kyrgios’ real test will come when he loses a few matches. And it will, but no-one seems to get too upset when Djokovic smashes his racquet or Andy Murray swears at his box. Even Roger Federer and Lleyton Hewitt were hotheads when they were young.
Nick Kyrgios is only 21 and has already been under the spotlight for a number of years. He would be first to admit that he has made some major mistakes in his career, all of which have turned Australian tennis fans against him. But, he is only 21.
If he continues his trajectory of the past two months, he is destined to reach the top level. I, for one, am a glutton for punishment and ready to give him another go.
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