Nick Kyrgios: The Ban Has Put Me In Good Shape For 2017

by Tom Gainey | December 12th, 2016, 9:11 pm
  • 9 Comments

Troubled Australian Nick Kyrgios thinks his recent ATP ban will help him for the upcoming season.

“So the suspension, one way to look at it, is getting more time off with the people you love and I’ve been training as well, so it’s set me up in good stead for 2017,” Kyrgios told Fox Sports.

“Obviously I wouldn’t have wanted to get suspended but it gave me time to think about and analyze what I’ve got to get better at.”


Kyrgios was banned after his egregious tanking effort in Shanghai, and he has since seen a psychologist as mandated which reduced his ban from 8 to 3 tournament weeks.

“The ATP wanted me to see a psychologist to help me out and I’ve been doing that,” he said.

Kyrgios finished a career best, rising from No. 30 to 13 and despite all the issues, the 21-year-old

“It was a fun year. I did a lot of fun things,” Kyrgios added. “I got Australia back in the world group of the Davis Cup, won a couple of titles, so it’s been a good year so hopefully I can back it up in 2017.”

Kyrgios has been coachless since mid-2015, however there is speculation he could link up with countryman Mark Philippoussis.

“We’ve got a lot of similarities on the court,” Kyrgios said. “He plays big and he’s had a lot of ups and downs in his career as well.

“He’s learnt a lot, he’s a great guy, he’s very caring and always been there for me as well, so maybe.”


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9 Comments for Nick Kyrgios: The Ban Has Put Me In Good Shape For 2017

Adam Sykes Says:

I saw Kyrgios at the 2015 ATP Valencia 250 series during his loss in the early stages. It was very disappointing and he seemed really annoyed like always. I hope he picks up his game because he has so much natural talent, I think he needs to channel his anger in an appropriate way which will improve his tennis game.


Django Says:

I am defo not a fan of his but he could grow on me in a few years if he cleans it up.


Dennis Says:

Considering the “ban” only covered November and early December, when there were no ATP events he would have been playing or qualified for anyway (and it didn’t prevent him from playing the money-grab exhibition IPTL), it didn’t amount to much.


BBB Says:

“I got Australia back in the world group of the Davis Cup”

I want to like him, but he didn’t get Australia back in the world group by himself. He won one tie.

He really needs to deal with his ego.


AndyMira Says:

Rafa tipped him as the future no 1 and he ‘answered’ Rafa by saying “Becoming no 1 doesn’t really excite me at all,to be honest”..”Whether i’m 13 in the world,1 in the world doesn’t really bother me at all.It’s just tennis.It’s so small in the scheme of things”…

He he he…And to think i cried like an idiot when Andy secured his no 1 spot a while ago!It turned out i cried for something ‘small’!Who would have thunk!!


Willow Says:

Alot of talent there no question, and a little ego is good, the rest is down to hard work, self discipline, and application, so NK will need to put the hard yards needed, im not sure he will, but its entirely up to him if he wants to be a top player, still hes only young, so time is still on his side for the moment ….


SG1 Says:

He has physical talent. More or less than others, I can’t really tell. He’s a big hitter but not any bigger than say a guy like Berdych. He’s a good mover but not like any of the Big 4.

NK just doesn’t seem like a student of the game. The Big 4 all LOVE the game. The eat it, breathe it, sleep it and study it. They know the history of the sport are aware of their place in tennis’ history. Nick seems like a good athlete who happens to play tennis. He’d be good at most any sport but not elite because he lacks focus.

He is only 21 and I do think things can change. I just wonder if he’ll ever care enough to make the changes. He’s got money and fame and all that goes along with it. Like his new coach and Marat Safin, it was enough for them. Maybe he wins a major, maybe more than one. I just find it hard to believe that this person will be No.1 given the amount of work required to set to that slot in today’s game.


BBB Says:

I think Safin’s a more complex situation, actually. He played a virtually perfect match against Sampras at the US Open and seemed hobbled by it thereafter. He admits as much. He wasn’t as lackadaisacal as he seemed – sometimes it was as if he was playing an opponent in his head rather than the guy across the net.

Nick’s more like Sloane Stephens – it seems like fear of failure. Not trying and failing is better than trying and failing.


SG1 Says:

I never considered the possibility that an upper echelon athlete wouldn’t try for fear of losing but I suppose it’s plausible.

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