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The tempestuous 21-year-old, Australia's brightest hope of a
men's grand slam champion since twice winner Lleyton Hewitt,
clinched the Japan Open on Sunday with an impressive win over
rising Belgian David Goffin.
For a player who professes no love for tennis and has admitted
to being "a little bit soft", Kyrgios has won all three of his
titles this season, his latest in Tokyo the biggest of a still
fledgling career.
Kyrgios clobbered 25 aces past Goffin but a more telling
statistic might have been the zero tantrums committed by the
hot-headed Australian during the tense three-setter.
The prospect of a fit, in-form and happy Kyrgios making a deep
run at the Australian Open would be a dream outcome for the
tournament's organizers but not one they were willing to indulge
out loud on Monday, lest the wish not come true.
"It's a long journey; it's a long-term journey when it comes to
Nick," a wary Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley said after being
soaked by a spring shower at the tournament's launch near
Melbourne Park.
"But he's certainly, we've felt, more recently turned the
corner.
"But his performances this past week has been tremendous in
winning his third professional title.
"And that's fairly remarkable. There's a lot of pressure on him.
We do what we can. We have a long-term view of it."
Easing the pressure on Kyrgios has almost become a mantra in
Australia, where a litany of former players, coaches and pundits
have previously offered a mixture of well-intentioned advice and
blunt criticism.
Most, if not all of the feedback, has been summarily dismissed
and its purveyors ridiculed on Kyrgios's social media accounts.
But where other would-be mentors have failed, Hewitt,
Australia's Davis Cup captain, has proved the most successful in
coaxing the prickly young talent back into the national fold.
The 35-year-old's unwavering defense of Kyrgios, warts and all,
was rewarded when the player pledged himself for Davis Cup duty
and helped Australia retain its place in the World Group with a
playoff win over Slovakia last month.
"He's definitely been better, no doubt," said Hewitt when asked
whether Kyrgios had become mature.
"He was fantastic at the Davis Cup tie in Sydney.
"He's made Davis Cup a massive priority going in to next year
... and he is ready to stand up and be the leader of our Davis
Cup team."
(Editing by Greg Stutchbury)
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