Nick Kyrgios believes Australia’s present males’s contingent might convey the nation its first males’s singles Grand Slam title in 22 years.
Brisbane, QLD, 19 November 2024 | Jackson Mansell
Australian males’s tennis has by no means been in higher form, in response to former world No.13 Nick Kyrgios.
In July, there have been 10 Aussies contained in the ATP high 100 for the primary time in 42 years, making for a promising time for Australian tennis – and one which Kyrgios believes might pave the way in which for Australia’s first Grand Slam males’s singles winner since 2002.
“I genuinely assume it’s the strongest time in Australian tennis and we’re all able to making a run at a Grand Slam now,” stated Kyrgios, the 2022 Wimbledon finalist.
“I feel the attracts are way more open than they was. To win a Grand Slam again within the day once I was in my prime, to beat Roger, Rafa and Novak in the identical event was remarkable. Now it’s much more open and I feel the place Australian males’s tennis is in the intervening time. It’s thrilling instances.”
A number of gamers have had breakout seasons in 2024.
Alexei Popyrin gained his first Masters 1000 occasion in Montreal, Jordan Thompson broke into the highest 30, whereas Alex de Minaur reached the highest six and his maiden ATP Finals.
“I at all times knew Demon was going to be carrying the flag. He’s acquired one other 10 to 12 years in his profession for certain. I might see him taking part in till he’s a minimum of 40 in all probability. Alexei what he did on the Masters occasion, Thanasi (Kokkinakis) coming again by way of damage and clearly at all times thrilling to observe,” Kyrgios stated.
He advised The Sit-Down podcast: “I’m so glad for Jordan to see how effectively he’s gone, high 30 on this planet and we actually grew up and performed the very same tournaments collectively. From eight years previous, we performed one another at Wimbledon and to see him having success is so cool.
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“These guys are all succesful and I feel I used to be the sort of the primary one to knock on the door and present that it was doable, after which these guys began believing. Now they’re all having some wonderful success.”
Within the time since Kyrgios made his tour debut in 2013, Australia’s sole Grand Slam singles triumph got here through Ash Barty. The previous world No.1 gained three Grand Slams, together with her victory at Australian Open 2022.
“I’d’ve beloved to have performed with Ash Barty at some stage,” Kyrgios stated in the identical podcast episode.
“I feel she was by far one of the crucial gifted feminine gamers to ever play the sport. I feel we might’ve finished injury on the courtroom for certain.”
The 29-year-old introduced he’ll return to tennis on the Brisbane Worldwide after an 18-month hiatus.
Throughout his time in Brisbane, Kyrgios hit with Cruz Hewitt, son of Australia’s most up-to-date males’s Grand Slam champion, Lleyton Hewitt.
“It’s humorous…I positively give him some stick for it. I like trash speaking a little bit bit but it surely’s cool,” Kyrgios stated about his intergenerational second with Cruz. “It’s a bit unusual me clearly taking part in – and I’ve competed towards his dad so much – and now competing towards him is humorous.”
Lleyton Hewitt is embarking on his seventh Davis Cup Finals marketing campaign as Australian captain in Malaga this week.
Previously two tournaments, Australia have completed runners-up and will likely be hoping they’ll win their first Davis Cup since 2003.
Having missed the staff competitors since 2019, Kyrgios desires to make a return after having optimistic dialogue with the Australian Open 2005 finalist.
“I had a dialog with Lleyton yesterday about probably returning to the Davis Cup line-up. Simply having these conversations once more and being part of it, hitting with these guys and simply competing with them is one thing that I genuinely thought wasn’t going to be doable once more,” he stated.
“I miss the staff environments, I like them. I do miss the home-and-away side of Davis Cup I’ll say. That was essentially the most particular factor ever.”
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