For Nick Kyrgios, the secret to perfecting the grass-court game is having a sense of freedom on the court. The 28-year-old Australian is famous for captivating spectators with his surprising, creative strokeplay. In 2022, he amassed a tour-high 12 victories on the surface.
Nick Kyrgios said, “I think merely being able to remove one hand from the racquet is essential on grass. All the intangibles: volleys, cutting, blocking returns, etc. On grass, you get a lot of poor bounces, so you need to be able to slice, drop shots, and add a lot of various elements to the game.” (H/T ATPTour)
In Nick Kyrgios’ native country, grass-court tennis is deeply ingrained in society. Up until 1987, the Australian Open was played on grass courts, and the nation’s ATP Tour athletes still uphold that tradition. The first two weeks of the grass-court season have been no different this year, with Jordan Thompson (from’s-Hertogenbosch) and Alex de Minaur (from the Queen’s Club) both making it to finals.
When Kyrgios defeated Rafael Nadal in the Wimbledon quarterfinals in 2014 as a 19-year-old, he made his presence known on the global scene. Eight years later, at SW19, the Australian stormed to his first major final but was unable to stop Novak Djokovic from capturing his fourth straight championship. Despite coming close to winning a dream major championship, Kyrgios is still proud of his performances in London last year.
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Nick Kyrgios says playing at Wimbledon last year was ‘incredible’
“It was incredible, That just one year had passed.” He said, “It’s been wild. Obviously, with the attention and everything off the court… I believe every tennis player wants to do well in this competition. Even those who don’t play tennis are aware of Wimbledon.”
“I believe that what will be remembered about you for the rest of your life is all the work you put in over the course of your life to really publish the outcome of that tournament. It’s a fairly unique sensation. I believe that every tennis player puts in a lot of effort to get one of those results at a Grand Slam.”
Following knee surgery, Nick Kyrgios missed the first five months of the 2023 season. Nick Kyrgios returned to the ATP Tour earlier this month in Stuttgart. His sole competitive encounter before Wimbledon was a loss to Wu Yibing in Germany because of ongoing knee problems. Although his preparation was far from optimal, Kyrgios is unconcerned about the increased pressure this time around.
He further added, “To be honest, I don’t think I have anything left to prove in my profession. I’ve defeated some incredible athletes, captured several major championships, advanced to the Grand Slam final, and captured a doubles Grand Slam. This, in my opinion, is the reason you work. Consequently, you may truly appreciate it and have fun.”
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