Nick Kyrgios, one of tennis’s most temperamental and aggressive stars, has been part of numerous controversies in the past few years. He has also been criticized for his antics on court and has many acts of misdemeanor to his name.
Nick Kyrgios, who comes from Australia, has opened up about his battle with depression and has admitted to being in a dark and lonely place during his recent battles as he went through the relentless grind and pressure of tennis tours.
Kyrgios has been part of a number of temperamental and aggressive reactions on courts. These reactions include expletive meltdowns, explosive racquet smashing on the court and other arguments with on-field personnel and the crowd. The ATP even put Kyrgios on probation and asked him to seek professional help for his issues.
“I don’t think people understand how lonely tennis can be,” Kyrgios told Sydney’s Sunday Telegraph magazine.
“You’re out there on the court on your own. You can’t really talk to anyone. You have to figure things out for yourself. I did struggle with that.”
Kyrgios says he always remembers himself as an emotional individual, and does not like spending long periods away from his family home in Canberra. He also mentioned there were times when he was seriously and clinically depressed.
“I remember waking up in Shanghai one year and it was 4pm and I was still in bed, curtains closed. I didn’t want to see the light of day,” he said.
“I felt like no one wanted to know me as a person, they just wanted to get a hold of me as a tennis player and use me. I didn’t feel like I could trust anyone. It was a lonely, dark place. And things came from that.”
“A lot of people were putting pressure on me, I put a lot of pressure on myself. I just lost joy for the game and I was spiraling out of control,” he added.
“I fell into depression because of the things I thought I had to be.”
The 25-year-old has done some damage control on his falling reputation by assisting fundraising efforts for deadly bushfires in Australia last summer and also adding a voice of reason during the coronavirus pandemic.
“Nothing beats playing in some of the best parts of the world against tough opponents and doing all the work off the court to have success. I’m definitely missing it. But I don’t live and breathe tennis,” he said.
“I love being at home with my family and my girlfriend, and working with my foundation (for underprivileged children) and helping the community. There are plenty of other things I love doing,” he concluded.
YouTube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VT-SmkidD4E