Nick Kyrgios put on a serving masterclass at Wimbledon this morning, but the Aussie star needed some advice from a spectator to clinch the victory.
Nick Kyrgios is first and foremost an entertainer, then an athlete.
The Australian tennis star is not hellbent on winning grand slam titles – he’d prefer to spend his downtime playing Call of Duty with his girlfriend or enjoying a drink at the local.
But Kyrgios knows how to win over a crowd. He’s arguably the most entertaining figure in the sport.
The 26-year-old wrapped up his round two Wimbledon match against Italy’s Gianluca Mager in quintessential Nick Kyrgios fashion on Friday morning AEST.
After reaching match point in the third set, he geed up the London crowd and asked a woman in the stands where he should serve the decisive moment.
The bold move evoked a laugh from the other spectators.
Kyrgios inevitably secured the victory after Mager’s forehand landed deep, and the Aussie immediately turned and pointed at the ecstatic fan.
Earlier in the match, he bizarrely discussed the merits of football powerhouse Tottenham Hotspur with random spectators.
Tennis reporter Brett Phillips told SEN Breakfast: “There was running commentary the whole way through, asking for tactical advice from the crowd. I tell you what, they had an almost 100 per cent strike rate! He fed off that.”
Kyrgios later thanked the spectator by gifting them a match ball and a towel.
“I can’t give you a hug,” he told the woman.
Kyrgios was at his scintillating best on Court 3, registering 29 aces and 48 winners to his 11 unforced errors.
He clinched a straight sets 7-6 6-4 6-4 victory to qualify for the third round, where he will face No. 16 seed Felix Auger Aliassime.
“Not everyone can be a Federer or Djokovic or Nadal. These are, like, once-in-a-decade athletes that inspire millions of people. Like, they’re just gods. I see them as that, too,” Kyrgios said after the win.
“But you have to have some people, I believe, that are relatable, that people can bring other fans to watch, like people that are just normal.
“I feel like I’m one of those people. I’m Nick Kyrgios. I know who I am.
“I’m okay with not winning grand slams. I know that’s going to make a lot of people angry.
“They say, ‘He should be doing this.’ But I shouldn’t, though. It’s not your life, it’s mine. I’m okay with just enjoying myself, putting on a show.
“They know it’s a bit of a show. They just want entertainment at the end of the day.
“Like a couple screaming out asking normal questions about Tottenham Hotspur. It’s a bit odd.”
Kyrgios’s behaviour has split the tennis community – superstars Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic have accused the Aussie of lacking respect for the sport and its traditions.
Although he has not always made headlines for the right reasons in a career littered with fines and suspensions, he is undeniably box office for the sport.
– with AFP
