Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios admits he doesn’t see himself as a ‘bad boy’ and has pointed the finger at several Australian sports stars whose conduct in the past he believes has been ’10 times worse’.
The 29-year-old tennis maverick has made headlines during his career for his controversial behaviour on and off the court.
Kyrgios has been thrust into the spotlight in the past for smashing rackets on the court, trash-talking opponents and feuding with umpires, most notably blasting an official during his 2022 Miami Open match against Jannik Sinner.
Some from within the sport have also questioned his conduct, including retiring legend Rafael Nadal.
The 22-time Grand Slam champion and the Australian have butted heads in the past, and speaking on his former opponent, the Spaniard once said: ‘When he plays good tennis and he shows passion for this game, he is a positive player for our tour and I want my tour bigger, not smaller.
Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios has pointed to other Australian sports stars claiming they are ’10 times worse than him’
Kyrgios has landed himself in hot water during his career, notably being
Nick Kyrgios had a day to forget during his Miami Open fourth-round exit in 2022
‘When he’s ready to play his best tennis and play with passion, (he) is one of these guys. When he’s doing the other stuff, of course, I don’t like.’ Kyrgios and Nadal have though appeared to shed any animosity they once may have held, with the former lumping praise on Nadal following his retirement last week.
Kyrgios, though, believes he has shed any perception that he is a ‘bad boy’ among members of the Australian public and pointed to stars from two of Australia’s biggest sports, who he believes are ‘worse’.
‘I don’t see myself as a bad boy,’ Kyrgios told News Corp’s Code Sports.
‘I guess I was branded that just because I was a bit outside the circle of what a normal tennis player is.
‘If you look at the behaviour around some of the NRL, AFL and some of the shenanigans those guys get upto… I guess that’s 10 times worse than me saying a swear word or smashing a racquet.’
Kyrgios has impressed with his insights in the past year with the Australian star dipping his toes into the media world during his injury hiatus.
In January he joined up with Eurosport to work as a pundit at the Australian Open, before working with the BBC later this summer on Wimbledon.
‘I know at the end of the day I play a very clean-cut traditional sport, that is gentleman-like and I have to be on my best behaviour,’ Kyrgios said, who could make his injury comeback later this year, as he prepares to compete in the 2025 Australian Open.
He was close to being disqualified by Brazilian umpire Carlos Bernardes calling him a ‘clown’
In the past year, Kyrgios has turned his hand to working in media and this summer worked for the BBC on Wimbeldon
‘So I know why I got painted as that but at the same time it did bring a lot of attention… and I just rolled with it.
‘I don’t think I carry that perception with the Aussie public anymore. But at the start of my career, people thought I was like a murderer.’
The Australian also opened up to the outlet on how long he believes he has left playing at the top level.
The tennis star had endured a torrid 2023, being ruled out of the Australian Open, the French Open and Wimbledon with a spate of injuries, which included a torn wrist ligament.
He stated to the outlet that he has around one to two years left playing at the top level but still has plenty to give.
