Nick Kyrgios has the phrase “time is running out” tattooed on his right forearm.
The Australian is only 21 so he has plenty of hours, minutes and seconds on his side - but unless he learns how to control his emotions on the tennis court and channel his anger his career will soon slip away and a vast talent will go unfulfilled.
He finished his straight-sets defeat against Andy Murray on Centre Court on Monday evening rushing between points, shouting “unbelievable” about what it was not clear, not bothering to sit down at the changeovers, swiping half-heartedly at balls, yelling “wow” sarcastically and generally looking like he'd rather be anywhere but Wimbledon. Well, he needn't hang around SW19 any longer.
Through the third set Kyrgios was speeding through his service games, taking about five seconds between points. He was taking the ball, bounce, bounce and banging down the serve. No thought process, no guile, no hope. The Australian hasn't had a coach in over a year and he looks like he desperately needs one. He is crying out for some guidance, a calming influence, some nous.
“I'm disappointed with my loss,” he said afterwards before adding alarmingly and sulkily: “I'm not going to dwell on it. I'll get over it in an hour or two. As soon as I lost the first set I lost belief. I'm a little soft still. I've probably got to take it a bit more seriously.”
Perhaps Murray, who won in an hour and 43 minutes and now faces the Frenchman Jo Wilfried Tsonga in the quarter-finals on Wednesday, sees a sliver of his younger self in Kyrgios which is why he is generally so complimentary about him. Early in his career, the Scot could occasionally get distracted, start chuntering and chatting and looking up to his coaching crew in the stands, spreading blame.
However, Murray's temper tantrums of yesteryear do not come to close to those of the Australian who seems to be permanently seeking the self-destruct button. The Scot, after all, had already been a runner-up at a major, the US Open, when he was 21, Kyrgios' age now.
In Kyrgios' first-round match he was cruising against Radek Stepanek, was serving for the match, lost his serve, his cool, his focus and then the set. He was able to bounce back as the Czech is dancing in the dying light of his career. Murray is in his sun-filled pomp and he punished Kyrgios's sulking, loss of focus and ranting at his corner accordingly.
John McEnroe, commentating for the BBC and pretty disgusted by what he saw from Kyrgios, summed it up: “He doesn't understand what it takes to be someone who can win Grand Slams,” he said. And this from a man who also knew how to throw his toys out of the pram. But the difference is that McEnroe used the tactic to self-motivate, not self-harm, which is where Kyrgios is at.
Tactically, the Australian needs guidance, too. Forty six times Kyrgios charged to the net against Murray and won only 24 of the points. The Scot, in contrast, claimed 18 of 22 points when he attacked the net. Kyrgios had his head in hands during changeovers in set three, if he could be bothered to take his seat, but whether he was searching for a new gameplan is debatable.
The attitude may be appalling, the drive dubious, but the ability is unquestionable which makes the whole Krygios circus so infuriating. He went toe to toe with Murray for the first set, was enjoying it, whipping forehands, driving double-handed backhands, smashing serves and matching the Scot for cuteness around the net. He placed one drive so perfectly into the corner he could have placed it better with his hand and then killed a drop shot with the deftest of hands to leave Murray beaten. Next shot he dragged wide wastefully; the ying and the yang in a matter of minutes.
But Murray pulled away, won key points to grab the set 7-5 but rather than regroup and go again, the Aussie showed all the durability of a tissue in a bushfire. He was broken twice in the second set as Murray's maturity came to the fore. The 21-year-old was content to shout “wow” up at his posse, shake his head and shift the blame. He started exaggerating his post-shot grunt. Murray did well to blank it out.
Kyrgios, stooping, hunched, looked dejected and deflated by the time he trudged off at the end while Murray soaked up the Centre Court applause. If the Aussie ever wants the tale to have a different ending, he needs to act before time does indeed run out. – The Independent