Never before has a player gone from winning their first ATP 500 title to being banned from the sport within the same month until Nick Kyrgios’ Shanghai meltdown.
Clinching the Japan Open title in Tokyo, many were hopeful that the 21-year-old has reached a new stage in his career and even Kyrgios himself spoke positively about the development of his maturity on the tour. It was a scenario that many had waited for following his questionable behaviour on the court in the past. The positive buzz surrounding Kyrgios failed to last a week after his below-par performance against Mischa Zverev in Shanghai, where the Australian seemed to just give up on the match and not care. Once again Kyrgios has returned to his role of the villain in tennis.
The latest sanction for Kyrgios was an eight-week ban handed to him on Monday. The ban is set to be slashed to three weeks after Tennis Australia confirmed the world No.14 will follow the ATP’s proposed ‘plan of care’ and seek the help of a professional. Kyrgios’ agreement to seek professional help for his behaviour is a step that many on the tour have been hoping he take for a while, but is it a case of too little, too late?
Recording previous wins against Rafael Nadal (2014) and Roger Federer (2015) as well as winning three ATP titles this season, the problem is nothing to do with his ability. This draws the conclusion that his sole problem is his mentality. Kyrgios is one of the few players on the tour that doesn’t have a coach. Instead, he enlists the help of other sources such as former Watford FC fitness trainer Martin Skinner. It is an approach that he doesn’t intend to change anytime soon.
“No chance I’m having a coach anytime soon,” Kyrgios said after lifting the Tokyo trophy. “(I) just won a 500. Think I’m doing all right.”
To an extent the Australian has a valid point in what has been his best season on the tour so far, but who does he turn to when things goes wrong? Everybody needs to be looked after no matter how confrontational they appear to be. This is even more so for Kyrgios, who has admitted in previous interviews that he has struggled to maintain his passion for tennis.
Andrew Bulley coached Kyrgios throughout his childhood years. In an interview with The Huffington Post, he believes that it is the insecurities of the 21-year-old that is preventing him from getting a coach.
“I think he needs to respect the person and know the person pretty well,” Bulley said. “That’s why he’s a bit reticent to get a coach now. He doesn’t want to tell someone ‘sorry mate, it’s not working out’ again. He doesn’t want to burn someone.”
It is evident that there is more to the eye than Kyrgios’ bad boy behaviour. It is something that goes much deeper. A resolution might be to recruit a total outsider to his group. Somebody that has no connection with either his family or other members of his team that is not afraid to speak their mind. Kyrgios need to be challenged directly by the person working with him in order for him to progress. He needs an outsider who he can talk to about anything.
Kyrgios has now reached a breaking point in his career. The continuation of his hot and cold mentality is one that the ATP, his fans and sponsors will not tolerate. In one way he does require a kick up the backside, but more importantly he needs to be nurtured. If this fails to happen, a promising career faces the prospect of an early retirement. Former top 5 player Pat Cash believes that the prospect of Kyrgios quitting the sport is a good possibility.
“I wouldn’t be surprised (if he quit) but hopefully that’s not the case,” Cash told local radio station 3AW.
“Anybody’s got the opportunity to walk away but if it’s not good for his health then I think he should do that.
“But with some good things in place for his health and wellbeing, and a revised schedule … he can go out there and enjoy his tennis, which is what we want to see.”
The future is uncertain for the two-time grand slam quarter-finalist. A walk away from tennis by a player as talented as Kyrgios would be a huge blow to the sport, but his questionable actions must be banished. An unlimited amount of fines will not solve the problem for the 21-year-old. What he needs is support and to be mentored by somebody that will not tolerate his roller coaster mentality. Things are currently bleak for the Australia, but he has the ability to come back stronger than ever if he is given the right support.
