Nick Kyrgios: "I’m not even looking forward to before Australian Open, I’m just looking to after it, I kind of want it to be over"
Nick Kyrgios has stated that he is not looking forward to the 2023 Australian Open and wishes it would be over since being in the spotlight is stressful.
The 27-year-old had a spectacular 2022 season, reaching his maiden Grand Slam final at Wimbledon and clinching his first singles title in three years at the Citi Open. He also won his first Major when he took home the doubles title at the Australian Open alongside compatriot Thanasi Kokkinakis.
Looking ahead to the next year and the home Grand Slam, Kyrgios said that he views the duration of the event as an "exhausting couple of weeks."
"Probably not. I’m kind of gearing for an exhausting couple of weeks to be honest. But I’ve just got to internalise it and just think to myself it’s just another tournament. Obviously it’s a lot more than just a tournament for a lot of other people around me," he said, in an interview with Eurosport.
The World No. 22 also revealed that he will not take part in any tournaments after the Australian Open until the Indian Wells, and will spend the time in between the tournaments at home.
“I know I’ve got about a month and a half after that where I’m going to be at home before Indian Wells; I’m not going to play anything after that. That’s really what I’m looking forward to," Nick Kyrgios said.
“I’m not even looking forward to before AO, I’m just looking to after it, I kind of want it to be over. Because I know how stressful it is for me personally to be in the spotlight. Just everything, even my days off are stressful. I’ll probably play doubles. I’m really waiting for it all to be over. There is a little bit of excitement but it’s probably 95 per cent stress, 5 per cent excitement to be honest,” he added.
"At the end of the day we all made it, we all made it through that journey, just different ways" - Nick Kyrgios on Netflix docuseries 'Break Point'
Netflix is set to release a tennis docuseries titled 'Break Point' on January 13, which will feature many players from both the ATP and WTA tours — including Nick Kyrgios. It has been made by the same producers as the "Formula 1: Drive to Survive" series, a show that helped increase Formula 1's following manyfold.
Kyrgios believes that 'Break Point' will have the same kind of effect on tennis as the F1 series had on that sport. He stated it would give viewers a little idea of how intense things are behind the scenes.
“Definitely. I feel like it’s the perfect thing. It's exactly what tennis needed,” said Nick Kyrgios.
“I don’t think people know behind the scenes how stressful it is. For instance at US Open, me going to sleep at 4:00am most nights after playing four-hour matches then doing media, then doing treatment, then barely eating before sleeping until 4:00am then doing it all over again. People don’t actually understand that and how vigorous it is and how much stress is on your body," he added.
“Everyone’s journey is so different and it’s pretty extraordinary. Someone like Casper Ruud, his journey, growing up, with his family, his origins, it’s awesome, I think that’s going to be cool. Even I’m interested to see how they grew up, what their family was like, I think that’s a cool angle as well. Because at the end of the day we all made it, we all made it through that journey, just different ways. It’s going to be cool,” he concluded.