One of the most exciting but divisive figures on the ATP tour, Nick Kyrgios is a player who holds all the talent in the world but hasn’t enjoyed similar success as other top players in the world. Although he is a great competitor and loves putting on a show of good tennis for his fans, Kyrgios has spoken in the past about how the lifestyle of following the tennis tour around the world is not something he enjoys or is built for.
Kyrgios is currently at the Ultimate Tennis Showdown in Los Angeles, unable to compete this year as he recovers from injuries but present in the capacity of an unofficial coach for American Frances Tiafoe. The Australian was candid about how short-lived his career could be compared to other professionals, in a video shared by the UTS’s social media handles.
Speaking to Tiafoe and Frenchman Jeremy Chardy, Kyrgios can be heard complaining about the increasingly packed nature of the tour: “Bro, the sport’s crazy. The schedule is out of control.” The Aussie has spoken out in the past about the sheer number of tournaments that take place in the ATP recently, as well as the strange scheduling, such as a number of ongoing clay court tournaments between Wimbledon and US Open.
Kyrgios has also spoken about how he struggles to be away from his home in Canberra for extended amounts of time, and being a professional requires jet-setting around the world for most of the year.
Kyrgios continued to talk about the toll tennis has taken on him, alongside the recreational activities he enjoys in his off-time that add to a wearing body. “Just old bro! I’m getting old. 28. Yeah. But all the drinking and partying, I’m like 57.” While Kyrgios is only 28, he has been a regular on the tour since he was a teenager in 2014. Not one to sacrifice doing things he enjoys, he also plays fast and loose with his personal life, and reflected on that.
In response to the 36-year-old Frenchman Chardy claiming that he could play for another 5 years, Kyrgios quickly dismissed any prospects of still remaining on tour, perhaps giving himself and his fans a timeline for his future. “No chance. No way. Bro, there’s no chance I’m playing until 33. Kyrgios playing until 33 is insane! I’m not playing until 33. Nah, I promise you, when I’m gone, you’ll never see me again,” said Kyrgios.
“I think I might just coach. Coach Foe (Frances Tiafoe) full time,” he concluded humorously.
While Kyrgios might see his career winding down with greater focus on enjoying the kind of life he envisions for himself, he enjoyed the best year of his career in 2022. A men’s doubles victory in Melbourne was followed by a finals appearance in Wimbledon, as well as a victory over defending champion Daniil Medvedev enroute to a quarterfinal appearance at the US Open in New York.
The 2023 season has been tough on Kyrgios on a physical level, as he was forced to pull out of the home Australian Open due to surgery, as well as Wimbledon when the injuries returned.
Nevertheless, he will be looking for his body to get healthy quickly and prepare for the US Open, where he could be a dark horse to cause some more major upsets, as well as an event he enjoys competing in as part of Team World in the Laver Cup later in the year.
