Nick Kyrgios is a sublime talent. Winners explode from his Yonex racket. He shows us power serves, flicky forehands and compact backhands that amaze. His return of serve is a mean wonder.
You’re thinking Wimbledon champion. Why not No. 1? But inevitably, the man who the New Yorker magazine described as “a walking existential crisis” goes off the boil.
A random little something gets under his skin. Maybe he feels a bit disinterested or just bored. He has the best persecution complex in the ATP.
His shoulders slump. His once laser-like shots suddenly stray and devolve into feeble foul balls drifting out of play.
You think, “What’s wrong with this guy?” This lad gives nonchalance a bad name. The question arises, “Does he care?” You just want to shake him by the shoulders and yell, “Get on with it, dude!”
There are many sins in sports. None is worse than a talent squandered. Geniuses, use your gifts!
Certainly, in his second-round match tonight, Kyrgios was in gear against the journeyman Andreas Seppi as he raced to an unblinking 6-1, 7-6 (1) lead.
Just two years ago, in one of the most epic matches in recent Aussie Open memory, Kyrgios roared from two sets down to demolish Seppi – who had just scored a shock upset over Roger Federer – 8-6 in the fifth.
The triumph set off delirious celebrations. Certainly, fans would again to be able to celebrate another win over the same Italian on the very same court.
But Seppi had other ideas. Before the match, he told the press that his dream scenario would be to do to Kyrgios just what the Aussie had done to him two years earlier – to charge back from two sets down. But at the start Kyrgios was very much in gear and certainly wouldn’t let go.
Wrong!
Up two sets and 3-2, 15-0 in the third, Krygios failed to reach a drop shot, started yelling and got a penalty warning.
In a flash, he inexplicably lost command. Then again, Kyrgios’ erratic play makes Gael Monfils seem like the essence of consistency. Nobody since Evonne Goolagong gives us such theatrical walkabouts. In 56 minutes he lost the third and fourth sets 6-4, 6-2.
But certainly the tennis gods would go with the obvious feel-good script. Australia’s great young stud was on a court which provides one of the most intense home court advantages in tennis.
Here there are not only Aussie flags, “Go Oz” signs and less-than-menacing plastic kangaroos. We not only hear the throng boo let chords, they cheer random caroms and explode in ecstasy when plot twists turn their way. All the while, the best cheerleaders in the game, the yellow-clad Aussie Fanatics, deliver their well-rehearsed staccato ditties and comedic chants.
Once again, this was a happy Hisense happening. A deja-vu feeling pervaded. Despite Kyrgios having lost his two set lead, the relentless crowd would certainly once again work their magic, just as they did two years ago, and will their man to a giddy triumph. During changeovers, they played a familiar song that tells us, “Don’t worry, be happy.”
Exactly!
After all, Seppi was just a lonely Italian island in an Aussie sea, a plucky veteran stoically fighting a rising tide. And finally, after three curious hours, Krygios was up 8-7 with a match point in hand. But Seppi struck a brave forehand which caught the line – amazing. Nine minutes later, the Italian would take advantage of two Kyrgios backhand errors and two let-cord double faults to achieve sweet redemption: a 1-6, 6-7, 6-4, 6-2, 10-8 triumph.
Afterwards, Kyrgios spoke of his poor preparation. His eyes darted as he spoke to the press. He’s not an eye-contact kind of guy. Still, he was candid. He confided that he had played far too much basketball during the off-season and how it was rough on his body and that he was hurting tonight – particularly in his knee. He noted that he was the only player in the top 100 without a coach.
He was then asked, whether his loss could be a good lesson for the future.
“Yeah,” he mumbled. And that was good to hear. Clearly this gifted talent needs to learn some life lessons. Most of all, it would serve him well to understand that great talents should make the most out of their precious gifts.
