He is the world No29, he is no longer in the Wimbledon draw but it feels like Nick Kyrgios is the most talked-about player, man or woman, at SW19.
It seems like every move he makes is scrutinised to death and whether he is on the court or off it, there is someone close by watching and ready to pass judgment.
Yes, it is a journalist’s job to comment on sport and athletes but when commentary becomes constant attack it is worth investigating why and how things reached that point and whether all this antagonising is justifiable.
The Australian media have made it a point to portray Kyrgios as the bad boy of Aussie tennis. He is asked about that particular image in every single press conference that it’s almost become easier for him to actually call himself a bad boy instead of fighting off the label.
So what is it that Kyrgios actually does that irks so many people?
He bullies umpires, smashes racquets, swears and talks to the crowd. None of these things are unprecedented in tennis history.
Roundly condemned for churlish behaviour – who’s the idiot now @NickKyrgios – #wimbledon @LeoSchlink @ATPWorldTour
— John Whistler (@johnawhistler) July 8, 2015
Has he been rude to officials on court? Yes, but anything he does on court should be punished by the chair umpire and if necessary, the referee’s office.
Those are the people responsible for making Kyrgios’ life as difficult as he makes theirs. If anyone deserves to be criticised, it is the umpire who lets Kyrgios get away with the stuff he does.
How his on-court antics have become this huge topic of public domain is a clear indication of how tennis has been desperate for anything controversial to talk about.
It’s not necessarily the lack of “characters” on the circuit like everyone has been saying but it is the lack of fresh storylines.
How many times can you talk about Novak Djokovic’s dominance or Rafael Nadal’s struggles? With Kyrgios it is both more exciting and much easier to write about.
– Reem’s Wimbledon Diary: Novak Djokovic chased by passers-by
– SW19 review: A look back at week one of Wimbledon 2015
– Gallery: The top-ten greatest Wimbledon upsets in history
What everyone is missing is how this is affecting him? For a young man with an attitude, Kyrgios’ first instinct when being attacked is to attack back.
Yes, he is short with the press and has managed to ruin his relationship with them – at least for the time being – but he is young, inexperienced and, from what has been apparent in recent days, is quite emotional and upset about the whole situation.
If the tennis world is really craving a big character like Kyrgios then why are they doing their utmost to close him off? He clearly has talent, which is not talked about nearly as much as his flaws, but the negativity surrounding him is taking a mental toll on him.
Some might say that changing his behaviour can solve all this but let’s not forget that he is 20 years old, is under the spotlight and feels he is misunderstood and misjudged. It will take time before he learns how to deal with all that.
For now, every time he feels cornered by the media, his knee-jerk reaction is to retaliate – it is how his frustration manifests.
The tanking situation was blown out of proportion and was also misreported as he was never facing a $100,000+ fine, which is something the referee’s office here clarified.
He is not your average nice boy, nor is he completely innocent in this situation but one day, he and a select few will be leading the tour and all those who are crucifying him now will do anything to get a word with him in the exact way British media have pulled a complete 180 with Andy Murray.
Criticism comes with the job, but anything that is overdone will always lose its value.
