Nick Kyrgios' coach Sebastien Grosjean 'likes the challenge' of coaching him

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  • Huge game: Nick Kyrgios.

    Being the coach of Nick Kyrgios may sound like one of the toughest jobs in tennis but Frenchman Sebastien Grosjean is not shying away from the challenge.

    Kyrgios had been flying solo for the past few years but last month joined forces with ex-world No4 Grosjean, who previously worked with Richard Gasquet.

    The temperamental Kyrgios has limitless talent but has at times struggled with motivation and discipline.

    The 22-year-old from Canberra is already a two-time Grand Slam quarter-finalist, having made the last-eight in Melbourne in 2015, and at Wimbledon in 2014.

    Last year, Kyrgios overcame a brutal opening-week draw at Wimbledon – with wins over Radek Stepanek, Dustin Brown and Feliciano Lopez – before falling to Andy Murray in the fourth round.

    The world No20 was defeated in the second round at Roland Garros to Kevin Anderson last month, where he was carrying a hip injury. Kyrgios had also lost his grandfather a few weeks earlier and was not in the best headspace.

    “Of course it’s really difficult. He had a tough four, five weeks. He had to go back to Australia to spend time with his family because of the loss of his grandfather. It wasn’t easy mentally of course, he was sad, emotionally it was difficult. Physically he got injured as well,” Grosjean told Sport360 two weeks ago in Paris.

    “He needs to talk, spend more time after on the court, to have hours on the court to work a little bit more seriously. But I’m here for him on court and off court obviously.”

    Grosjean is aware of the difficulties that come with coaching Kyrgios. The young Aussie has often voiced his conflicted feelings towards the sport, which means his motivation is not always there.

    “I don’t love the sport. But I don’t really know what else to do without it,” Kyrgios confessed last year following his fourth round exit at Wimbledon.

    “One week I’m pretty motivated to train and play, I’m really looking forward to getting out there. One week I’ll just not do anything. I don’t really know a coach out there that would be pretty down for that one.”

    Kyrgios was then fined and suspended by the ATP end of last season due to a lack of effort during a match in Shanghai.

    He has made progress this year however, putting together some impressive results between February and April, and opting to start working with Grosjean, who feels he has the right tools to help him.

    “I’m here for him, I care about him. I saw him on the tour for years now, when he played Richard (Gasquet) twice in Wimbledon, tough battles. We trained together with Richard last year in Boca Raton. He’s a good kid. I want to help him also to improve because I care about him,” explained Grosjean.

    But was he not daunted by the complexity of dealing with someone like Kyrgios?

    “If you only take the easy things… I like the challenge. The good thing is we live next door in Boca so we can spend time together on court,” said Grosjean.

    “That’s the work we’re going to do there that’s going to help him. When you’re on tour, when you’re in tournaments, you don’t really work. Normally the work is done before and then we need to compete. And that’s the 10, 15 extra per cent make the difference on the tour but before you do that’s the 80-90 per cent you did before.”

    John McEnroe, who has been one of Kyrgios’ fiercest critics, said recently that one player who could be able to lure him into part-time coaching would be Kyrgios.

    “The guy that would make the most sense on paper would be Nick Kyrgios because we are two head cases,” said McEnroe. “But mentally we are a bit wacky.”

    Kyrgios’s response when told about McEnroe’s interest was succinct.

    “He’s dreaming,” quipped the 22-year-old.

    Grosjean believes Kyrgios can reach incredible heights in the sport but first some work must be done. Asked what he’d like to work on with his charge, the Frenchman said: “To be a little bit more structured, mentally to be a little more tough, work on his fitness, because if he’s stronger physically he’ll be tougher mentally.

    “But that’s a process because he was alone for a long time it will take time. But it’s a good challenge and he’s a good kid to be around.”

    Kyrgios has already shown he can string together some good wins on the ATP tour, having already picked up three titles. But is he getting closer to being capable of winning seven matches in 14 days to win a Grand Slam trophy?

    “Yes, he’s closer. Because he’ll have a day off, sometimes you can have two days off. Of course on grass he can do it. He made quarters already. I know it’s tough but of course he can do it but he has to spend time and do the right things in the weeks before,” said Grosjean.

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