Kyrgios gets chance to prove he's a contender not just a critic
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[February 11, 2021]
By Sudipto Ganguly
(Reuters) - Nick Kyrgios emerged as a
'voice of sanity' for tennis over the coronavirus pandemic, and the
mercurial 25-year-old has a chance to show he can also be a
contender on court when he meets Dominic Thiem in the Australian
Open third round.
Known for being outspoken, Kyrgios took plenty of pot shots at
fellow players for their indiscretions during the global crisis and
hurled insults at world number one Novak Djokovic on numerous
occasions.
In response, Kyrgios' critics have pointed to the Australian
maverick's tantrums on court and his lack of substantial
achievements at the game's highest levels.
While Kyrgios' talent is undoubted -- he is among the few players in
the world to beat the Big Three of Roger Federer, Rafa Nadal and
Djokovic -- he remains an underachiever at Grand Slams where he has
never gone past the quarter-finals.
"I think he's a very talented guy," Djokovic said this
week. "He has proven that he has a quality to beat any player really in
the world in the past," he said, though he added he had little respect
for the Australian off the court.
Kyrgios has improved his "bad boy" image since he kickstarted a campaign
that raised millions of dollars for the victims of bushfires that
ravaged southern Australia during last year's tournament.
Marked as a tennis prodigy when he first arrived on the circuit as a
teenager, Kyrgios would probably accept that he should have achieved
more than six ATP titles and a career-high ranking of 13th.
He faces another stern test on Friday in his bid to make it to the
second week of a Grand Slam when he meets U.S. Open champion and world
number three Thiem, a finalist at Melbourne Park last year.
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Australia's Nick
Kyrgios in action during his second round match against France's Ugo
Humbert REUTERS/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake
Kyrgios can be assured of the usual delirious support at his
favourite John Cain Arena but it remains to be seen if he has enough
left in his tank after Wednesday's emotional five-set win when he
rallied to victory after saving two match points.
"We've seen it in the past that it's tough for him to come back,"
said Eurosport pundit Mats Wilander, a three-times champion at
Melbourne Park.
"Nick plays a great match on that court, maybe two matches, and then
he comes and plays a better guy and he's running out of steam a
little bit because it's so emotional for him to play."
Seven-times Grand Slam winner Wilander feels a win against Thiem on
Friday could take Kyrgios to the next level.
"He needs to prove to himself that he can win a match like that and
take out one of the best players in the world in the following
round," Wilander added.
"We know he can win five-setters, but can he back it up ... that's
the question?"
Kyrgios rated Thiem as one of the most physical guys on tour and an
extremely good player but will go into the match believing he has "a
good chance".
"Whatever happens against Thiem happens," he said. "I'm going to go
out there, serve, play with instinct, and if it's enough, it's
enough. If it isn't, I'm all right with that."
(Reporting by Sudipto Ganguly in Mumbai; editing by Richard Pullin)
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