Kyrgios, who has been catching the eye of the Wimbledon crowd with his impressive display, asserts that he is “okay” with not winning Grand Slams.
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Australian tennis player Nick Kyrgios has been enjoying a memorable tournament so far at Wimbledon. He has been catching the eye of the crowd with his impressive tennis this week. However, Kyrgios asserted that he is “okay” with not winning Grand Slams. “Not everyone can be a [Roger] Federer or [Novak] Djokovic,” said Kyrgios, following his 7-6, 6-4, 6-4 win over Gianluca Mager for a place in the Wimbledon third round. “[They] inspire millions of people. They’re just gods. I see them as that.”
“You have to have some people, I believe, that are relatable, that people can bring other fans to watch… I feel like I’m one of those people. Not everyone can be a Federer, a Djokovic or a [Rafael] Nadal. I’m Nick Kyrgios. I know who I am. I just don’t put that much pressure on myself any more. I’m okay with that. I’m okay with not winning Grand Slams.”
The 26-year-old Australian had to survive a grueling first round contest, finally beating Ugo Humbert 9-7 in the fifth set. He is delighted with the support he has received from fans at the All England Club. “It’s just been awesome,” said Kyrgios, who reached the quarter-finals on his Wimbledon debut in 2014. “I feel like the public and the crowds have really embraced me and really enjoyed me being back. I feel like I’ve got a lot to offer for this tournament.
“I don’t put as much pressure on myself any more. When I was younger, it was hard to deal with all the criticism that the media gave me, that everyone gave me. ‘He should be doing this’ [and] ‘He should be achieving this’ [and] ‘He’s not doing this enough.’ Now I just enjoy it when I’m out there. I breathe in the fresh air. I don’t take anything for granted. I just feel like I’m comfortable… People love Wimbledon. I love Wimbledon. I love seeing the crowds.”
Sebastian Korda, who has not played in the main draw of The Championships at Wimbledon prior to this week, booked a place in the fourth round with a brilliant four-set victory. He registered a 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory over Daniel Evans, the 21st seed, in two hours and 24 minutes.
“I just stayed calm in the biggest moments as much as I could,” said Korda. “I tried to stay relaxed and keep playing attacking tennis, that’s what I do. I’m really proud of myself for that today. [It’s] a big achievement. A year ago, I was 220 in the world and I’m here in the fourth round at Wimbledon. It’s incredible. I have my family to thank, my coaches and everybody around me.”
