Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios is not playing in the Australian Open, but that has hardly meant he has no presence at the Australian Open. In fact, he has been one of the most visible characters at the tournament, working as a commentator for Eurosport and ESPN, while dropping in for interviews with just about every outlet on the scene in Melbourne.
But don’t think for a moment that being on the commentator’s side of the microphone will soften up Kyrgios’ stand on how he is covered by the media. He is quick to point out that the way he calls a match is significantly different than the way he is covered when he is playing.
In an interview with Tennis Channel, Kyrgios was asked if he had a different appreciation for media work. His answer was, as could be expected, blunt.
“Definitely not,” he said. “I go into each match trying to be respectful of the players, even if I don’t know someone, even if someone messes up or smashes their racket, I wouldn’t be as disrespectful toward them as the media has been towards me at times. I just try and be balanced out there as well. But look, I wouldn’t say anything in the commentary box that I wouldn’t say to a player’s face. I’m not sure that’s been the case with the media towards me.”
Welcoming @NickKyrgios back to #TCLive!
Nick Kyrgios Wrist Injury Still Has Him Sidelined
Kyrgios’ inability to take the court in Australia this year came as a major disappointment, after a injury-wracked 2023. He suffered a knee injury that kept him out of the Australian Open last year, then required surgery. He returned briefly ahead of Wimbledon, but was sidelined for the second half with a torn ligament in his wrist. Kyrgios was not able to recover from that in time to play in this year’s tournament.
There are fears that Nick Kyrgios, perhaps, will not play again. But he said that being around the game but not playing it was difficult, and that injuries are just part of his “journey.” He said that calling the match of his good friend Novak Djokovic was especially tough.
“I’d be lying to say I didn’t miss it, especially watching Novak walk out on center court the other night and hear the roar from the crowd. I do miss that. I miss giving the fans a good show. But again, I understand that as an athlete you deal with injuries. You can’t be too upset. It’s part of the journey, it’s part of the process. I understand that.”
‘People Are Enjoying’ Australian Open Commentary
Maybe Kyrgios should get accustomed to calling matches, if, indeed, he is not able to get back on the court. He has always been a dynamic and exciting to player to watch, for his blazing serves as well as his on-court antics. But he tends to be a polarizing figure in the sport, one who willingly bucks the rules and traditions, and draws attention to himself for it. He has complained about the lazy labels he gets from media members, even now—“bad boy,” “tennis showman,” and so on.
But he has also brought attention to his mental health struggles over the years, to his depression, suicidal thoughts and overcoming the physical self-harm that clouded his rise to prominence.
That’s all baggage he carries with him. But he’s trying to keep a focus on the tennis when he analyzing matches.
“Right now, I know that I am a student of the game, I’ve got a high tennis IQ, I can give the fans different insights to all these different players,” Kyrgios said. “I’ve shared different moments with all these players, I’ve played against them. I feel like I have added a different dimension to the commentary box. I feel like people are enjoying it.”
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Australian Open: Nick Kyrgios Jabs ‘Disrespectful’ Media While Doing Media Work