Nick Kyrgios seems to have overcome physical problems and found some continuity in 2022 after some very bad seasons. Winning the Australian Open in doubles alongside Thanasi Kokkinakis gave the 26-year-old from Canberra the confidence to try to regain the many positions he had lost in the standings.
Kyrgios pushed himself to the quarter-finals in Indian Wells by clearly beating Sebastian Baez, Federico Delbonis and Casper Ruud, before taking advantage of Jannik Sinner’s retirement in the round of 16. The only player able to stop the Australian’s progress in California was Rafael Nadal.
The Australian then reached the round of 16 at the Miami Open and the semi-finals in Houston.
Mats Wilander attacks Nick Kyrgios
It was not his performance that was discussed, but some behaviors considered over the top. Kyrgios in fact risked hitting a ball boy in Indian Wells with his racket, who lost an unusual rebound and ended up towards the tarps present at the end of the field, and received a penalty point and a penalty game during the game lost against Sinner in Miami.
Kyrgios was penalized by the strong discussion with the chair judge; argument that he paid dearly with a fine of 35 thousand dollars. Mats Wilander, in an interview with Tennis Head, spoke about Kyrgios and the recent penalties imposed by the ATP.
“I think it’s a horrible thing. I think breaking a racket on a tennis court is a low-level gesture, because most people can’t afford to buy one. Lleyton Hewitt told me that children in Australia are starting to buy themselves like Kyrgios.
I’m not saying they throw rackets on every occasion, but they often send the ball off the court like Kyrgios. This is serious enough. Nick is very talented, but he doesn’t use his head. He never uses his feet when he hits the ball, but many guys admire him.
I think it’s atrocious.” The ATP, in order to deal more effectively with certain behaviors, has decided to change the register and revise its rules. The president of the ATP Andrea Gaudenzi took stock of the situation to the microphones of Sky Sport.
“I, if I have to tell the truth, am in the middle. There are two kinds of utterances. One is against oneself, and it can be acceptable. But when you risk hurting a spectator, a line judge or a ball boy, it is not a acceptable situation. We must be an example.”
