Why Nick Kyrgios will win the US Open

Throughout the turbulent and unpredictable career of Nick Kyrgios thus far, the talent side of the equation has never been in doubt.

Unfortunately for the Aussie, tennis is not won on paper but won consisting of mental strength and a commitment to work harder than any other player on tour.

It is safe to say that the latter has let him down significantly. The good news? Nick has turned a corner after experiencing his first ever grand slam final at Wimbledon and will be motivated to go one better at the US Open in a country where he plays his best tennis.

After reading the title of the article, you are probably tired of reading and hearing about the same claims backing him up to finally win that elusive major trophy. 



However, if you delve a little bit deeper, the 27-year-old actually has a favourable route with many aspects falling in his favour.

(Photo by Simon Stacpoole/Offside/Offside via Getty Images)

The first is Nick’s record playing in the States. There is something about the American environment and atmosphere that makes him thrive. When he wants to put on a show, that’s when Kyrgios is at his lethal best.

Dating back from his main tour debut in 2013, Nick has a 57-86 record (66%) playing in the US which includes 1 Atlanta 250 title and 1 Washington 500 crown.

The memorable victory in the capital was one of the highlights of his career back in 2019 as his all-round game was fantastic to watch, going all the way to defeat Russian Daniil Medvedev.

He even got the crowd involved to ask a few spectators which way to serve. When in that zone, not too many players can get a sniff.

Here is an example of some of Kyrgios’ best tennis of his career to date.

With big lead-up tournaments coming up such as Washington, Cincinnati, Montreal, and Winston-Salem, Kyrgios will need to focus on his body to keep in shape and use that match practice to get back in rhythm and keep his confidence going from the back of Wimbledon.

The biggest pathway for the Australian’s quest for a maiden Grand Slam title is the absence and question marks surrounding a number of top rivals.

Rafael Nadal is recovering from a serious abdominal injury that forced him to retire before his scheduled semi-final bout at Wimbledon against Kyrgios.

Novak Djokovic will most likely be denied entry into the US due to his vaccination status and stance.

Daniil Medvedev has not featured in a competitive match since the end of June due to being banned from Wimbledon. It will not be easy for the defending champion to come back and repeat the form with a lack of key preparation.

Andrey Rublev is in the same position as his fellow countryman Medvedev due to his Russian nationality.

Alexander Zverev’s last competitive match was the semi-finals of the French Open and retired mid-match due to a serious ankle injury. Reports suggest that the German will not be ready to compete in any tournaments before the US Open commences.

Those are five players ranked in the top ten that have some serious concerns. The door is already ajar for Kyrgios to sneak in another big run if he can stay in the moment and not get ahead of himself.

(Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images)

One area of concern however would have to be the knee injury that forced Nick to retire before his opening round at the Atlanta Open this week. The Aussie is no stranger to the treatment table and has struggled to get his body in perfect condition to last a full season.

In saying that, Kyrgios’ weapons such as his serve, technical ability, and sheer power to win free points have allowed him to get away with a lack of match time and has often surprised in tournaments where he has not had much match play under this belt, even in Grand Slam tournaments with a best of 5 set outcome. 



The term ‘mental strength’ was used at the beginning, and Kyrgios actually has that in his locker. He has won 11 out of 14 five-set matches in his career (79%) which is an incredible stat and confidence booster heading into a Grand Slam as one of the favourites. This experience under pressure can do him nothing but good. 



What will also do him a world of good is the experience of actually playing in a Grand Slam final at Wimbledon against Novak Djokovic as that was a completely new scene. After the loss, Kyrgios confessed that “you just have to be a mental animal to win a Grand Slam. Novak (Djokovic), (Roger) Federer, and (Rafael) Nadal, I think I give them a bit more respect now.” He now understands the sacrifices required.

The motivation to win is still there, as he admitted “if I won Wimbledon, I’d really struggle after that for motivation.” The boy who grew up in Canberra still has something to prove. 



The next month will be crucial in determining whether Kyrgios can keep his feet on the ground and continue working towards the goal of being a Grand Slam champion. 



Talent will never go away, but strong mental fortitude can. Only this time, Kyrgios looks like he can have both.