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The men’s final at Wimbledon on Sunday saw Novak Djokovic triumph over Nick Kyrgios, but the headlines focused not only on Djokovic’s win, but also on Kyrgios’ fiery temperament.
While watching the final on Sunday I was drawn into a debate as to whether the Australian players’ attitude, which saw him repeatedly yell at his box, at the umpire and at a spectator, was a help or a hindrance as he faced a former world number one. Local tennis coach Rob West described Kyrgios as “the Marmite” of tennis.
“Without a doubt, Kyrgios has a character which makes for interesting viewing, but I wouldn’t consider him to be a good role model,” he said.
“Kyrgios’ behaviour on Sunday, and on many other occasions, goes completely against fair play and respect. I coach a lot of children and I would never encourage that kind of behaviour in them."
Pictured: Australian Nick Kyrgios has earned a reputation for having a fiery temper.
Mr West continued: “I would always teach kids to go back to basics and control what is controllable. You can’t be aggravated or worried by things out of your control, like the sun in your eyes or what spectators are doing.
“It seems to be that Kyrgios’ attitude is a way for him to get rid of some nervous energy, but it definitely tips too far into disrespect of the umpire and line judges.”
Mr West is Head of Sports at Kings and has held prestigious coaching positions in Ohio, New Jersey and New York.
“Kyrgios’ has openly said that he doesn’t have a coach because he wouldn’t want to put someone through trying to deal with him,” said Mr West.
“He is an extremely talented player, but he openly admits that he doesn’t put in effort or practice and that is reflected by his inconsistent results.
“If he put in the work that the other top players do, then he could achieve much more. However, I do respect that he is open about the way he is and that he’s not going to change.”
Pictured: Rob West, is a United States Professional Tennis Association Certified Elite Pro and a Lawn Tennis Association accredited coach.
Mr West said that Kyrgios appeared to have a “melt down” in Sunday’s match.
“He was shouting at the box and blaming external factors. In tennis you need to take responsibility for yourself, how you’re playing and what you can control. When you're on court it's on you, no one can help you there,” he said.
“I think that other top players handle the pressure better. I respect that Kyrgios speaks his mind, but he does tend to make a meal of it; he can turn things into a pantomime.
“It is understandable for him to have a moan and a gripe about perceived leniency that the other household names are afforded by umpires. Kyrgios is pulled up straight away for things which other top players get away with.”
At one point during Sunday’s final, Kyrgios urged the umpire to eject a spectator after accusing her of distracting him, yelling: “She’s drunk out of her mind in the first row… she looks like she’s had about 700 drinks, bro, talking to me during every single point."
Pictured: Andy Privett coached Chris Wilkinson, who became British number one.
The woman was removed for 15 minutes before being allowed to return to her seat. The incident made national headlines, with the spectator coming forward as Medical Lawyer, Ania Palus, who has issued an apology, but denied heckling the 27-year-old player.
Guernsey Tennis Centre Coach, Andy Privett, commented that Kyrgios’ attitude is likely to spark a similar response from spectators.
“Kyrgios definitely goes a bit off the wall and he is a bit of a rebel, which is why kids like him. He creates a lot of interest,” he said.
“I have been coaching for 38 years in total and I remember the days of the rivalry between Connors and McEnroe. The rivalry of Djokovic and Kyrgios reminded me of that situation and the interest it gained.
“Kyrgios does go over the top with it though and, when you’re putting out that kind of attitude, then you’re going to rile up spectators and bring out a similar side in them."
Pictured: Nico Robinson has been playing tennis for 20 years and has represented Guernsey and the Channel Islands.
Mr Privett continued: “Personally, I think Kyrgios thrives on having that kind of attitude; it’s just the way he is. Other players would likely lose focus on their game if they’re not keeping a cool head. It’s possible that, if Kyrgios was calmer, he might be able to win a grand slam, but he still played very well.”
Islander Nico Robinson, who has played for Guernsey on five occasions and represented the Channel Islands in tennis several times, agreed with Mr Privett that Kyrgios has drawn attention.
“Usually, if you have reached the top tiers of the sport, you are able to manage and channel your emotions in almost every situation, so Kyrgios is a rare personality to find on the tour now,” he said.
“Kyrgios’ controversial attitude and unpredictability definitely adds to the entertainment factor, particularly in high profile matches such as the Wimbledon final.
“I wouldn’t say that it has helped the sport over all though. It shifts focus away from the game itself and, watching Kyrgios regularly on the tour, his attitude becomes more frustrating than entertaining.”
Pictured: Novak Djokovic's win on Sunday was his seventh Wimbledon win.
While Mr Privett said it was possible Kyrgios could perform better if he kept a cool head, Mr Robinson did not agree in respect to Sunday’s game.
“In the final I don’t think that Kyrgios’ attitude impeded his chances of winning as he seemed to be outplayed from the first set onwards,” he said.
“Even though he was venting at his box for not sustaining their support, he did seem more focused and motivated than normal. I think he recognised that it was a massive opportunity for him.
“I have watched many of his matches where he has self-destructed or tanked (given up), which is irritating to witness as a spectator, but I don’t think that was the case on Sunday."
Mr Robinson said that that, despite the controversy surrounding Kyrgios, Sunday’s match was “enjoyable” to watch.
“The game followed a similar pattern to Djokovic’s previous rounds against Norrie and Sinner, where he took some time to find his rhythm and lost the opening set,” he said.
Pictured: Kings' Head of Sport, Rob West, called Nick Kyrgios "the Marmite" of tennis.
Mr Robinson continued: “Ultimately though, Djokovic found his top level standard and started feeling confident that he is too good for the rest of the field.
“Kyrgios’ serve is one of the best on tour and, on grass, it is very dangerous. It became very obvious though that he was struggling to win baseline rallies consistently and was under immense pressure to hit two out of three aces a game to hold serve.
“I was glad to see Djokovic get back on track after a difficult year and get back in the grand slam race with Nadal. I think he is the most complete tennis player of all time.”
Mr West said that he would be interested to see what is next for Kyrgios.
"After the final, Kyrgios was asked if he was hungry for more, he said: "Absolutely not. I'm so tired honestly". It will be interesting to see what Kyrgios does next, he might take a few months out and then be back at it, or might even start working harder. We'll have to wait and see."
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