Final Up to date: January 14, 2023, 12:22 IST
Nick Kyrgios opens his marketing campaign in opposition to Roman Safiullin. (AP Photograph)
Whereas his frequent tantrums have lengthy overshadowed his expertise, the Australian had a stellar 2022, making a barnstorming run to a primary Grand Slam singles ultimate at Wimbledon, earlier than shedding to Novak Djokovic
Nick Kyrgios stated on Saturday that expectations he can go far at subsequent week’s Australian Open had been annoying and made it exhausting to focus. However the divisive Australian additionally stated he was humbled to be ready the place individuals thought of him in with an actual shot of successful his residence Grand Slam.
“I feel everybody desires to get to a place of their sport or their occupation, be top-of-the-line and have that expectation and strain,” the gifted however temperamental 27-year-old stated.
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“It’s a privilege to go on the market and really feel that Australia desires me to win and to be one of many favourites. It’s a superb feeling. However there’s numerous stress as effectively. I see it in every single place, on social media, everybody speaking about it. How are you feeling about Australian Open? You’re one of many favourites.
“It’s exhausting to form of simply deal with what I must do.”
Whereas his frequent tantrums have lengthy overshadowed his expertise, the Australian had a stellar 2022, making a barnstorming run to a primary Grand Slam singles ultimate at Wimbledon, earlier than shedding to Novak Djokovic.
His greatest exhibiting on the Australian Open is the quarter-finals in 2015.
Kyrgios stated his Wimbledon expertise was an important studying curve and solely strengthened his admiration for gamers akin to Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer.
“I feel it simply form of confirmed me how annoying attending to a Slam ultimate is, coping with the skin noise, media commitments, balancing on-court, off-court restoration,” the nineteenth seed stated.
“These guys which have received a number of Grand Slams, they’re simply animals, not solely bodily, however mentally.”
Kyrgios’s build-up to Melbourne has been disrupted by an ankle harm.
His probabilities of successful a maiden Slam are additionally hampered by being in a tricky facet of the draw, with Djokovic doubtlessly ready within the quarter-finals if each get that far.
However first the Australian must get previous ninth seed Holger Rune and fifth seed Andrey Rublev.
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“Comparatively, feeling fairly good. I wouldn’t say recent, however I’m simply actually excited to be right here once more,” he stated. “I wish to really feel like I’ve acquired every little thing below management.
“(However) there’s so many succesful individuals right here. There’s all the time speak about me being a favorite, massive expectations.
“I’m simply making an attempt to take it a day at a time. There’s so many individuals right here that may trigger injury.”
Kyrgios opens his marketing campaign in opposition to Russia’s 98th-ranked Roman Safiullin.
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