Nick Kyrgios draws inspiration from NBA, says tennis ‘needs more team environment’
Nick Kyrgios has been an outspoken character on the tennis tour for several years now, also one of the most persistent individuals when it comes to arguing for player welfare. Kyrgios has spoken out about the difficult conditions for players who spend the year touring, and the negative impact it had on him from a psychological standpoint over the years.
Kyrgios became one of the most recent new additions to the Professional Tennis Players’ Association, or the PTPA, which is a joint venture from some players on both the ATP and WTA tours to create an alternate players’ union which has more autonomy over the sport. The PTPA was founded by Novak Djokovic and Vasek Pospisil, with the idea that the sport needed a body dedicated to the athletes, since the ATP and WTA are also representatives for the tournaments and sponsors.
Speaking in an interview to the PTPA, Kyrgios revealed one of the ambitions he has with the PTPA, and how he thinks that association can help improve the environment on tour for some players.
“Yeah, I mean, as a kid basketball was my first passion,” said Kyrgios. “So I've pretty much grown up watching them play as a team and obviously the association. I modeled like myself, my fashion, the way I play the sport of tennis, on the NBA.”
The Australian enjoyed his most successful year on tour in 2022, reaching the finals of Wimbledon and the quarters at the US Open, as well as winning the men’s doubles at his home slam the Australian Open. However, the Aussie has since come out to claim that he believes tennis players do not earn enough from the tour, which makes sustaining the professional lifestyle more difficult.
Kyrgios claimed the tours would be better off with the kind of union and familiarity between players as is present in the NBA. “But, you know, I think that's what tennis needs. We need to come together a bit more. I mean, I feel very isolated at tournaments. Sometimes I feel a bit, I'm overstepping if I'm approaching another player.”
Kyrgios acknowledged the difficulty of doing that on a tour where everyone can be a competitor, but said that he hoped for more from the PTPA. “And I feel like that's the biggest thing about tennis. Like we are competing against each other but I think it needs to more of that team environment.”
Kyrgios cuts a controversial and divisive figure on the tour: while he is liked by some members, he is also seen as overly aggressive and brash by many others, who have spoken out about how his attitude can be difficult to deal with in the locker room. However, Kyrgios believes that a team-like atmosphere is needed to prevent these divisions amongst players.
“So, for the NBA, like I'm a Boston Celtics fan, I just love the whole team. I think they kind of work together with pretty much everything. So, I think that's how tennis needs to be.”
Kyrgios has struggled with injuries throughout 2023, and was forced to pull out of Wimbledon days before he was scheduled to play. It has been a tough first half of the year for the Aussie, who is also recovering from knee surgery. He has recently tweeted about his support of Saudi investment into the sport, seeing it as a window for players to be paid more. He also revealed his struggles with the mental aspect of the tennis tour, and how that has affected him negatively over the years.
For better or worse, Kyrgios is one of the most popular players on tour, and has an exciting game that fans love to watch. Many will be hoping to see a healthy return from the 27-year-old before the American hardcourt swing in August and September.
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