Nick Kyrgios has often come across as a man who refuses to grow up because he doesn’t see the point. He has had epic rants on court – at the crowd, at the referees, at himself, at his box. He also makes controversial comments on his social media pages. He has been suicidal in the past, he also runs a foundation where he helps kids. So who is the real Kyrgios?
That’s what Alexander Bublik sought to find out in a very engaging and fun chat on his podcast ‘Tea with Bublik’. For the record, only Bublik was seen drinking any tea in the show and by the end of the chat, both were claiming that they can drink more alcohol than the other. And set a future date to test out the boast. Bublik wants it in Russia, Kyrgios asks him to come to Australia.
But we must return to the more emotional parts of the interview. “There is this internet Kyrgios and the real one I see. What percentage of you are in these two?” Bublik asks.
“The thing is I turn into the person I need to be like . I put on a mask when I go on to court, I entertain.. I like being someone else. My good friends, my family, you (Bublik) know the real me but I don’t like showing that to the people! I act like this bad guy as it protects you as.. people don’t know who you are. I am like this (good guy) all the time. Am the bad guy just two percent of the time!” Kyrgios says.Foundation is a big part of what I do.
Kyrgios refers to 2019 as a turning point moment in his life, regarding the mental struggles.
“I used to self harm – cut pretty bad on my right arm. That’s why originally I got my tattoos to cover up all the scars. I went to the internet.. There was a picture. I had just played Rafa (Nadal) in the fourth round of the Australian Open and my arm was disgusting . I posted about it and opened up about it – and that’s been one of the best things in my career. So many people reach out to me and they relate to that. It was a tough time for me – 2019 was one of the best years of my career but I was really struggling mentally,” Kyrgios says.
Bublik intervenes at this point with a funny anecdote. “Oh I remember Wimbledon. I was partying with you. I remember you had a Rafa wallpaper on your iPhone… when you hit Rafa in the chest and he is like this (Bublik gestures wincing in pain, mimicking Nadal’s reaction) as wallpaper on iPhone!”
Story continues below this ad
Kyrgios laughingly says at that point, “I love how we are talking about mental health and he (Bublik) is laughing!” And adds, “Me and Rafa don’t like each other!”
The episode referred to came in the 2019 Wimbledon game between the two. Kyrgios was getting annoyed that he was made to wait by Nadal while he was ready to serve. He even walked up to the chair umpire to say ‘I am ready to serve, how long are we going to wait? Why am I waiting, its too long. It’s ridiculous, tell him … he has been doing it for 20 years” Shortly after came the moment. When Nadal was rushing to the net, Kyrgios blasted a ball straight at him, and Nadal just about managed to stop the ball from hitting his chest. He looked across the court to see if there would be some sort of an apology – a raise of the hand – but there was none.
In the press conference at the end of that game, Kyrgios was asked if he would apologise to Nadal. “Why would I apologise?” The reporter replies with: ‘Isn’t it the convention in tennis’ and Kyrgios goes, “is it? I didn’t hit him. It hit his racquet man.” The reporter says it “seemed to wind him up?” And Kyrgios went, “I don’t care. The dude has how many grand slams? How much money is in his bank account? He can take a ball in the chest, man. I am not going to apologise at all!”
“I was actually going for him. I wanted to hit him square in the chest. Lucky that he has decent hands!”
Story continues below this ad
Turns out sometime after that game, Kyrgios had Nadal flinching as a wallpaper on his phone.
Both return to the topic of mental health and Kyrgios says, “It was a crazy time in my life. I was a very unpredictable person and was dangerous to myself. I am doing a lot better now, learning.”
When asked about his foundation, Kyrgios said: “It’s about giving kids a sporting chance, to give them opportunities to play sport, give them a home.. Kids look up to us a lot and every athlete should try to do their best to help. I meet kids who are very sick, who don’t have long to live. Foundation is a big part of what I do.”
