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A prolific user of Twitter with 177,000 followers, Kyrgios
has stoked controversy with a number of provocative messages,
including taking pot-shots at Davis Cup team mate Bernard Tomic
and Australia's Olympic chef de mission Kitty Chiller.
Cash, who won Wimbledon in 1987, said he avoided media coverage
to focus on his game before the Internet took hold and suggested
his 21-year-old compatriot needed to keep the distractions of
social media at bay.
"I'm probably the only player on Earth who can have an
understanding of where he's at and what he's been through and
what he's going through," Cash told local media of Kyrgios, who
bowed out of the French Open third round last week.
"He needs to learn just to roll with it.
"Enjoy your life but just don't get involved in having arguments
with Aussie Rules football players and stuff like that who
really have no freaking clue what it's like to be out there on
your own, around the world playing the best athletes in the
world.
"Everything that wasn't involved in me improving as a tennis
player was a distraction to me," added 51-year-old Cash, who
still competes regularly on the ATP's senior Champions Tour.
"So I just focused on being the best I could be. That (meant)
working hard.
"I've got my name on a couple of boards somewhere, that's what I
play for, to be successful and be the best I can be. It'd be a
pity for Nick not to do that."
Kyrgios wasted little time in dismissing Cash's advice.
"Haha 'ditch social media' - can people keep their opinions to
themselves please. Leave me alone. This is my last tweet for you
Cashy," the world number 19 tweeted on Tuesday.
Although boasting prodigious talent and touted as a future grand
slam champion, Kyrgios's behavior on and off the court has
polarized players and fans.
Olympic team boss Chiller said earlier this month that Kyrgios's
behavior in the public arena could affect his selection chance
for Rio.
Kyrgios brushed off the warning and launched a poll on Facebook
asking social media followers to decide whether he was fit to be
an Olympian.
(Reporting by Ian Ransom; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
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