Tennis legend backs Nick Kyrgios to thrive in new team tournament Down Under despite controversial star admitting he’s ’95 per cent stress, five per cent excitement’ ahead of Australian Open
- Aussie great Sam Stosur believes Nick Kyrgios will thrive in the new United Cup
- The United Cup is a mixed gender team competition that starts on Thursday
- Kyrgios says he is tired and ’95 per cent stress, five per cent excitement’
Aussie tennis great Sam Stosur believes Nick Kyrgios will thrive in the United Cup team environment, despite the controversial star admitting he is tired after 2022.
Kyrgios, 27, returned Down Under to lead the local contingent in the inaugural mixed gender United Cup, despite not playing in his country’s recent Davis Cup showing.
Aussie tennis great Sam Stosur believes Nick Kyrgios (pictured) will thrive in the United Cup team environment, despite the controversial star admitting he is tired after 2022
Stosur (pictured with the US Open trophy) believes the team’s United Cup competition will suit Kyrgios
‘I think it’s no secret that Nick loves being on a team and a team competition,’ Stosur told the Sydney Morning Herald.
‘I’m sure it will be right up his alley, being an Australian team in Australia at the start of the year. He will be enthusiastic and ready to go.
‘He’s our highest-ranked player in the country, and I’m certainly looking forward to watching him play. Honestly, I’ve never been on the sidelines watching Nick in a live match.
‘I find his tennis really entertaining, and he’s a fantastic player. Going there this week is going to be a lot of fun.
‘This is the United Cup, a united team. When the team is out there playing, we certainly expect everyone to be out there supporting each other and doing the best they can from the sidelines as well as on the court.’
Kyrgios (pictured) is coming off his most successful season, in which he made the Wimbledon final and ended the season as Australia’s highest-ranked singles and doubles player
Kyrgios is coming off the most successful season of his career, in which he made the Wimbledon final and ended the season as Australia’s highest-ranked singles and doubles player.
He admitted that his life is tiring at the moment and that he is thinking of retiring if he wins the grand slam.
‘Honestly, I’m tired,’ he told Eurosport. ‘It’s just stressful. The more wins you have, the more success you have, the more needs you have off the court.
‘People expect more from you. It’s been a stressful year, for sure.
The self-styled bad boy of tennis (pictured with partner Costeen Hatzi) will be considered a genuine title contender for the first time in his career at the Australian Open – and could become the first local men’s champion since Mark Edmondson in 1976
Kyrgios says he is preparing for a grueling few weeks ahead of the Australian Open
The so-called bad boy of tennis will be considered a genuine title contender for the first time in his career at the Australian Open – and could become the first local male champion since Mark Edmondson in 1976.
I’m kind of gearing up for an exhausting couple of weeks to be honest. But I just have to internalize it and just think to myself that this is just another tournament. Obviously it’s more of a tournament for a lot of other people around me,’ Kyrgios said.
‘For me, I’m the one playing, so I don’t want to put pressure on myself.
‘I’ve got about three weeks between now and then to just get my body right, get my game right and feel good about it.
‘There’s a bit of excitement but it’s probably 95 per cent stress, 5 per cent excitement to be honest.’
Kyrgios is set to take to the court at the Ken Rosewall Arena in Sydney to face Cameron Norrie on December 29 to kick off Australia’s United Cup campaign.
