After turning professional in 2013, Canberra’s Nick Kyrgios has spent the last seven years of his career dividing opinions. While there can be no questions over the 24-year-old’s on-court abilities, his attitude and application have, at times, brought the sport into disrepute on a number of occasions, including periods where he performed to a half-hearted standard. Yet, for all of his flaws and struggles, the Australian-born star has become one of the most well-known names in tennis.
Although he isn’t always recognized for his positive influences on the game of tennis, Kyrgios shouldn’t be labeled as the sport’s villain. Instead, we’re going to consider why he should be regarded as an anti-hero.
Growing Appreciation for Different Personalities
By definition, an anti-hero is someone who lacks the conventional attributes that you would typically assign to a heroic figure. When you think of the true professionals of the modern-day era of tennis, it’s hard to look beyond the likes of Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Rodger Federer, who have each done a significant amount to raise the profile of the sport.
There can be no doubts that Kyrgios’ attitude and levels of application are below the names listed above, but that doesn’t mean that he should be perceived as a negative figure within contemporary tennis by default. The 24-year-old comes from a different generation to the all-time greats still playing the game, and, in his own right, that makes him invaluable to the sport’s future.
From a marketing standpoint, Kyrgios is fundamental to tennis’ aims of attracting the next generation of talent as he has become something of a draw for up-and-coming players. Moreover, when the 24-year-old steps onto the court, there is always an element of intrigue as to which version of Kyrgios is going to turn up. While there is no doubt that sporting fans admire those who give their all to their respective sports, people like to see different personalities shine through, even if they are controversial at times.
Controversial but Immensely Talented
While Kyrgios will hope to one day leave a long-lasting legacy on the sport of tennis, his career will always be littered with controversies, and that is something that he cannot change. However, what he can do is concentrate on honing his talents in seeking to become one of the top players in world tennis.
To date, his highest ranking position was 13th back in October 2016. Since then, the 24-year-old has fallen to number 21. Kyrgios has won six ranking titles thus far in his career, with two of them coming back in 2019 after beating Alexander Zverez in the final of the Mexican Open and Daniil Medvedev in the Washington Open. 2020 could be a big year for Kyrgios if he makes the decision to apply himself, but as things stood on February 26th, the Australian was priced at 66/1 with tennis betting to win the French Open and claim his seventh career title.
Tennis Needs Characters
Ultimately, Kyrgios will always be a divisive figure within tennis, but that’s part of his charm. The unpredictability of Kyrgios makes him a box-office enigma that brings more attention to the sport. He’ll never be a Federer or Nadal, for example, but that doesn’t mean that he doesn’t bring his own style and intrigue to the court.
