Nick Kyrgios is and always will be something of an enigma. He remains one of the biggest personalities in professional sport, not just tennis, and can always be relied upon to generate headlines of some description whenever he steps out onto the court.
Not all of those will be positive, but fireworks are never far away when he is in action. That is part of his appeal, with punters paying to be entertained when passing through the turnstiles.
At the 2022 Australian Open, a passionate home support were given plenty to shout about in doubles competition. Kyrgios has found a winning formula down a somewhat unexpected avenue.
He is never going to challenge the likes of Rafa Nadal and Novak Djokovic towards the top of tennis betting odds at Betfair, with two-all time greats priced at +110 and +240 respectively for French Open glory this summer, but silverware is now there to be shot.
Watch out world ?@NickKyrgios ? @TKokkinakis #AO2022 • #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/OKcDT5Cctt
— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 29, 2022
It was secured during a memorable run to ultimate glory on home soil, with a perfect partnership struck up with fellow countryman Thanasi Kokkinakis. Just two sets were dropped en route to a stunning success at Melbourne Park, with the number one, three, six and 15 seeds disposed of along the way.
For a man accustomed to putting on a show, a notable end product has now been added to his game. That has not always been the case, with mercurial talent never any guarantee of tangible reward.
Playing With a Smile
Kyrgios has always been at his most dangerous when in complete control of his game and emotions. When he is able to relax and play with freedom, then there are few – even at the very highest level – that can live with him.
Consistency has, however, forever been his toughest opponent. From looking like a world-beater one day, performances usually reserved for those having a Sunday knock about with friends can be delivered the next.
Kyrgios needs to master the art of keeping his head, and having somebody alongside him to aid that quest may be the solution he has been looking for. He has not played an awful lot of Grand Slam doubles in his time and had never previously made it beyond round three of any event before going all the way last time out.
Having crowds very much on his side, with another Aussie at his shoulder, delivered a winning formula in Oz that few could have predicted. A great entertainer rode a wave of emotion all the way to a prestigious trophy.
Wow…Brother we did it❤️ ?? pic.twitter.com/R1SOCbGF0G
— Thanasi Kokkinakis (@TKokkinakis) January 30, 2022
Playing with a smile on his face, interacting with those in the stands and producing the odd moment of magic that got everyone off their seats was always going to be a recipe for success if that bandwagon could avoid losing any wheels.
The challenge now is to keep that feel-good factor flowing. Emerging victorious when the vast majority of those in the stands are on your side, and with a quality operator offering assistance in times of trouble, is one thing, but scaling said heights when out on your own or being cast as a pantomime villain is another matter entirely. Kyrgios has shown what is capable of, but can he replicate that when heading out on the road?