The quintessential tennis bad boy reflects on the Wimbledon finalist, and how music taught him to be a better commentator
t’s the same every year. Over just as you are beginning to fall in love with it. This is Wimbledon’s special power – to creep up on you every day, teasing itself momentarily into your routine before, just as you are starting to let it in, it wraps itself up for another year.
John McEnroe and Björn Borg before the 1980 Wimbledon final. Borg won it, but McEnroe returned to beat the Swede in the 1981 final.“I think he’s just trying to deal with his nerves and that fear of failure that we all have,” McEnroe unpacks, of Kyrgios. “His way of dealing with it is obviously different than others. What happens unfortunately, when you’re wound up and freaking out, is you take it out on someone closest to you.
“For the most part, when I’d lose it, I was able to get my concentration back pretty quickly. That’s what actually bothered players. With Nick, it’s hard to tell right now,” he says. “Sometimes it doesn’t look like he’s trying. You just don’t know what you’re getting, which sort of what makes it fun to watch, in a train wreck kind of way. It’s like watching a car crash.
Two years later, minutes walk from Centre Court at Wimbledon in the aftermath of the tournament, I’ve just watched him sing It’s the End of the World as We Know It by REM at an after party he is putting on for charity. I’ve just joined him on stage where he has encouraged me to play more guitar solos than I have played collectively in my life until that point.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Inside Nick Kyrgios’ Wimbledon after-partyStill wearing the red Jordan hat he rebelliously donned for the post-match trophy presentation, Nick Kyrgios spent the night at a club in Mayfair as he prepared to head to the Bahamas.
Read more »
Nick Kyrgios, Novak Djokovic drop in ATP rankings, despite reaching Wimbledon finalWimbledon was stripped of its rankings points due to its ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes, meaning some athletes fell in the world rankings despite best-ever results.
Read more »
Kyrgios needs Freud to help him deal with demons, says McEnroeThree-time Wimbledon winner — and former 'Superbrat' — John McEnroe says he is amazed by Nick Kyrgios' talent but says tennis needs the Australian star to try more of the time.
Read more »
Nick Kyrgios, Novak Djokovic drop in ATP rankings, despite reaching Wimbledon finalWimbledon was stripped of its rankings points due to its ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes, meaning some athletes fell in the world rankings despite best-ever results.
Read more »
Inside Nick Kyrgios’ Wimbledon after-partyStill wearing the red Jordan hat he rebelliously donned for the post-match trophy presentation, Nick Kyrgios spent the night at a club in Mayfair as he prepared to head to the Bahamas.
Read more »
The unfortunate casualties in Kyrgios sideshowA 'drunk' spectator was the least of Nick Kyrgios' problems during the Wimbledon final, according to a tennis great.
Read more »