Is Nick Kyrgios Good For Tennis?
“Any publicity is good publicity, right?”-Nick Kyrgios
Photo Credit: ESPN
Nick Kyrgios is a polarizing figure in professional tennis. His talent and skill set are the envy of many players on the ATP Tour, but he has also generated controversy at almost every tournament he's played in. While this has resulted in him being fined close to $600,000 dollars for his misconduct and antics on the court such as (spitting towards a player, punting a tennis ball into stands full of spectators, walking off court mid-match), it also makes him one of the most watched & talked about players on tour.
You may be asking yourself: Why do I care about Nick Kyrgios? And why should you, as a tennis fan, pay attention to him? Well, the answer is simple. Unlike other players who are notably just as talented at tennis but don't grab headlines like Kyrgios does (think Casper Rudd and Hurbert Hurkacz), Nick has become one of the most watched and talked about players on the ATP Tour. It can also be noted he is one of the most controversial players in tennis history.
Over the years, Kyrgios has developed a poor reputation for arguing with other players and even umpires. He's even been suspended from competition twice – once for eight weeks in 2016, and once for a year following an altercation with Stan Wawrinka at the Rogers Cup.
When you talk about the Next Generation of players who are currently trying to break into the top 10 or even win a Grand Slam, you're likely to hear names such as Zverev, Sinner, Tsitsipas, and Alcaraz. However, Kyrgios is rarely in that conversation. This is unfortunate because he's one of the most talented young players on the tour right now. Sure, he's inconsistent and can be extremely difficult to deal with at times, but this doesn't take away from his ability. His huge serve is incomparable and his ability to hit a ton of winners from all over the court, makes him extremely dangerous when playing well and focused. Case in point, making it to the Wimbledon Finals earlier this year.
Sometimes to the average viewer it comes off as Kyrgios has no love for the game. He doesn't care if he wins or loses, and it's evident in many of the matches he plays. At times, Nick will throw his racquet, scream at his supporting cast and even taunt an umpire during a match. The Australian tennis star doesn't seem to care about his fans who pay money to see him play, but instead yells things like “I don't give a f***” or “shut up” at them when they boo him from the stands. While some believe this type of behavior should be punished with fines and/or suspensions, I think it's great for the sport! It adds drama to what could otherwise be boring matches between two people trained solely on winning. Instead, he is also providing entertainment to his fans with his personality rather than just his skill set alone!
What if I told you that there is no such thing as consistency with Nick Kyrgios? What if I told you that it's impossible for anyone who knows anything about tennis to predict whether he'll win or lose or make it to another Grand Slam Final?
Think about it: If you're expecting him to win, then you'll be disappointed. If you're expecting him to lose, you will be pleasantly surprised. It's impossible for anyone to predict what will happen when he plays because there's an incredible lack of consistency in his game.
All in all, Kyrgios is one of the most polarizing figures in tennis today, but he's also one of the most entertaining. The Next Gen players have been dominating this sport for the past few years, but there's no doubt that Nick Kyrgios' antics will keep us glued to our TV sets whenever his next match happens to be.
