Kyrgios braces for stress as residence favorite at Australian Open

MELBOURNE, Jan 14 (Reuters) – With Ash Barty having fun with a snug retirement, Nick Kyrgios will probably be far and away the highest drawcard for residence followers on the Australian Open, feeling each privilege and stress to fulfill expectations after his finest season in 2022.

After an underwhelming profession on the Grand Slams, the fiery Canberra native made the ultimate at Wimbledon final yr and the U.S. Open quarter-finals to win over detractors who had labelled him a wasted expertise.

Barty ended Australia’s lengthy watch for a house champion at Melbourne Park final yr by profitable the ladies’s title however locals will hope Kyrgios can lastly declare a maiden Grand Slam crown and finish the 47-year drought for a house males’s winner.

Having typically left some followers chilly along with his on-court histrionics, Kyrgios stated it was now a privilege to really feel Australia needed him to win and be one of many favourites.

“I walked in right here on the Australian Open possibly eight, 9 years in the past as a wild card. Now to see how my profession has unfolded, to get to a degree the place everybody type of expects me to win and go far, it is a good feeling,” the 27-year-old instructed reporters at Melbourne Park on Saturday.

“However there’s loads of stress, as properly. I see it all over the place, on social media, everybody speaking about it. ‘How are you feeling about Australian Open? You are one of many favourites.’

“It is arduous to type of simply give attention to what I must do.”

Although having not accomplished a tour match since October, Kyrgios has nonetheless managed to hog the limelight within the leadup to Melbourne Park.

He was a last-minute withdrawal from Australia’s staff for the United Cup, sparking a disagreement with co-captain Lleyton Hewitt.

He was entrance and centre on Friday night time as he performed a apply match with Novak Djokovic, the person who beat him for the Wimbledon title, in entrance of a packed home at Rod Laver Area.

Kyrgios and Djokovic as soon as had a frosty relationship after the Australian criticised the Serb for internet hosting the disastrous Adria Tour in 2020, the place high gamers partied with out social distancing and ended up contracting COVID-19.

However the pair have change into a lot nearer since Kyrgios defended Djokovic throughout his deportation ordeal within the run-up to final yr’s Australian Open.

“I went in opposition to my phrases and stood up for him in entrance of my nation. That wasn’t simple for me, both,” stated Kyrgios.

“I handled loads of criticism. However clearly he appreciated that.

“It is type of gone from a tough kind of place to now we’re serving to one another out on the most important stage. We’re simply nice

rivals.”

Reporting by Ian Ransom in Melbourne; Modifying by Peter Rutherford

Our Requirements: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.