Alexander Zverev posted a video on his Instagram Story on Monday asking Nick Kyrgios: “How does it feel to be the best player in Brisbane, and maybe in the world right now?”
Kyrgios brushed off the flattery with a laugh and said it was “incorrect”.
“Are you going for world No. 1 this year?” Zverev fired back.
“No, I’m happy where I am, I’m happy with my life,” said Kyrgios.
He has every reason to be happy right now. Kyrgios fought through four tough matches to win the Brisbane title on Sunday. Three of those clashes saw Kyrgios battle back from a set down. He also beat world No. 3 Grigor Dimitrov for the first time.
The 22-year-old Aussie did all that while dealing with a knee injury he picked up ahead of the tournament.
We’ve seen Kyrgios give up during matches when he’s struggling physically on several occasions, but not this time.
This time he stayed focused and found a second gear when he needed it. There was an evident fire motivating him all week and it earned him a fourth career title and first on home soil. He’s also moved up to No. 17 in the world – just four spots off his career-high ranking.
Is this a sign that Kyrgios has perhaps turned a corner and has come to terms with his love-hate relationship with tennis?
It’s too early in the season to tell.
Kyrgios’ talent is undeniable and the fact that he can beat anyone on a good day is not news to anyone who has seen him play.
But it’s easy to find motivation in the first week of a season while playing a tournament at home. It’s tougher when you’re deep into the year, exhausted, homesick and mentally spent and you’re trying to win a match thousands of miles away from home.
Still the early forecast for Kyrgios is a very encouraging one. And it’s prompting many to put him among the list of contenders for the Australian Open crown this month.
Can Kyrgios really win 11 matches in a row in a four-week period, picking up two titles along the way including a maiden Grand Slam? It’s a big ask!
I remember in 2014 when a 19-year-old Kyrgios won 12 matches in a row, winning the Nottingham Challenger, as a qualifier, before storming to the Wimbledon quarter-finals, knocking out world No. 1 Rafael Nadal along the way.
Kyrgios joked about how care-free he was as a young player. He was talking about Aussie teenager Alex de Minaur, who made the Brisbane semis last week.
“He’s an unbelievable talent. He’s a great kid, too…. I remember when I was a young chap just cleaning people up,” said Kyrgios.
Is it possible for him to tap into that youthfulness once again? He is only 22 after all.
It’s the first time he heads to the Australian Open after winning a title, and he does appear to be in a positive head space compared to the past.
If he keeps the dodgy knee in check, Kyrgios can do some serious damage in an Australian Open field that is missing big names like Andy Murray and Kei Nishikori, and features several top guys with injury question marks surrounding them.
If he can call onto that young Kyrgios who was “cleaning up people” and brings the kind of game he produced in Brisbane, he has a legitimate chance in Melbourne.
