Nick Kyrgios’ Agent Asks Australia To Cut The Kid Some Slack

Honing his game to an exceedingly fine point, and currently straight up thrashing through rounds at Wimbledon is 20-year-old Canberran Nick Kyrgios: the rising tennis star who manages to draw more hate over his on-court antics than love for his undeniably skilful game.

Calling on Australia to quit hating on their new star, Nick Kyrgios’ agent John Morris told Farifax today that maturing in the spotlight, having mounting pressure on his performance and his young age have made Nick Kyrgios a perfect target for media fodder. Morris argued, however, that the 20-year-old shouldn’t be judged so harshly by the public.

“It’s tough for him growing up in the spotlight with so much expectation. Especially from a sporting country like Australia who love and adore their sportsmen and want them to do well and actually put them on pedestals more so than any other country.

“There’s a high expectation for him to meet on court with his performances and also with his behaviour. And he will slip up, he’s young. But he’s not the finished article yet. I think it’s best to judge him at the end of it and what he’s been like on court and with his behaviour. He’s 20 years of age, I think we just need to cut him some slack.”

In the past week, Nick Kyrgios’ on-court spats at Wimbledon—with an umpire in round one, against a linesman’s decision in round two and in a racket-bouncing rage in round three—have all drawn attention. 

However, Nick Kyrgios told reporters yesterday that bringing his personality to the court was part of his game. “I like to watch entertaining tennis,” Kyrgios said, “I’m not the biggest believer in saying nothing out there or being a robot.”