"To say I've underachieved is insanity" - Nick Kyrgios refuses to bow down to popular narrative about poor attitude hampering Aussie's tennis career
Nick Kyrgios has dismissed the narrative about him that suggests that his tennis career has so far been marred by underachievements. Since making his ATP Tour-level debut in the early 2010s, Kyrgios has been widely regarded for his talent. However, at the same time, the Aussie has come under fire for his temperamental nature and the fact that is yet to win a big title in singles.
As a junior, Nick Kyrgios won the Australian Open boys singles title, and also achieved a ranking of World No. 1. He also won three boys doubles titles, two of which came at Wimbledon.
These achievements led to high expectations from him when he transitioned to senior tennis. While the Aussie often produced flashes of brilliance after turning pro, he would often let his emotions get the better of him.
From deliberately throwing matches away to having heated exchanges with opponents, officials and fans, Nick Kyrgios' actions have made him one of contemporary tennis' most controversial figures. However, the 29-year-old does not see eye-to-eye with the 'underachiever' tag that has been associated with him for a long time.
The former World No. 13, who is currently inactive owing to his ongoing rehabilitation from surgery, recently spoke up about the subject on an episode of The Louis Theroux Podcast. Kyrgios cited his 2022 Wimbledon Championships final appearance as an example to state that he did not underachieve.
"Yeah, that's definitely something I've heard my entire career (about underachieving). To say that I've underachieved is insanity because I know that what I've gone through in my life and where I've come from, and just sitting in this room in Canberra, Australia, the fact that someone sat here and played in front of the royal family (in the 2022 Wimbledon Championships final), that's not an underachievement at all," Kyrgios said. (at 13:02).
The 29-year-old went on to say that he is now in a position to guide youngsters, and suggested that for him to be in this stage of life is an "overachievement".
"What I've done in my career and what I've achieved as a person and how I've bounced back from all the negative that I've dealt with and then gone through and turned it into a positive and to be able to help people now and I can give advice to young kids that come up, young fans, I look at that as the biggest overachievement in any athlete that can give back," Kyrgios added.
Despite his current inactivity on the ATP Tour, Kyrgios recently laid bare his intention to make a comeback and finally break his singles Grand Slam duck.
"The only thing that will shut people up" - Nick Kyrgios on how winning a singles Major title will silence his detractors
Nick Kyrgios is poised to make an official comeback to the ATP Tour next year. The Australian has expressed his desire to get back to playing tennis on multiple occasions in recent times. Earlier this month, the former World No. 13 said that his goal now is purely to win a Grand Slam singles title, which, according to him, will silence his critics.
"I am coming back because something is keeping me around the game. I have beaten pretty much every person that has been put in front of me, made a final of a Grand Slam, won a doubles title in a Grand Slam, won multiple titles and made money. But I think the one thing that is now on my target is a Grand Slam. I think that will be the only thing that will shut people up at the end of the day," Kyrgios told News Corp's Code Sports podcast.
Kyrgios ventured into commentary and analysis during his recovery from injury and subsequent surgery. The Australian also hosts his own podcast in collaboration with Naomi Osaka's Hana Kuma; Good Trouble With Nick Kyrgios.