LAVER CUP

September 25, 2021

Nick Kyrgios

Patrick McEnroe

Press Conference

S. TSITSIPAS/N. Kyrgios

6-3, 6-4

Team Europe - 5

Team World - 1

THE MODERATOR: Not the result you would have wanted. What was it like to be back out on court at Laver Cup?

NICK KYRGIOS: Yeah, amazing. You know, Team World has a very tough task this week. Obviously I feel there is a lot more pressure going into Day 2 all the time when you know you are the line in the scoreboard.

I feel like every member of Team World feels like they need to play their absolute best tennis where I feel like Team Europe, they may not have as much pressure every single match, knowing that their team is so stacked.

Again, I thought Stef played the big points well. He played very, very well today and he had a great year. I had a bunch of chances in the second set that I just was unable to take. Had a bunch of breakpoints. I really felt the crowd was ready for me to take one of those breakpoints, and then, you know, having that momentum possibly into the ten-point breaker would have been amazing.

But, yeah, I'm disappointed that I can't come through to get some points on the board, but, you know, I'm soaking up every moment out here at this special event. I have gone through an incredibly tough last year with some off-court issues, and, you know, just I'm not taking anything for granted to be here again alongside Johnny, Pat, and the incredible teammates and to play some of the best players in the world. It's special for me.

As I said, you know, I'm not going to say it's my last Laver Cup, but I don't know how much longer I'll be around, you know, tennis, so it was just great. I took every moment in today.

THE MODERATOR: Patrick, what does Team World need to do to inspire a comeback?

VICE-CAPTAIN PATRICK McENROE: Win a couple matches. Obviously John's pretty fired up and playing well. It's 4-All in the first. He's certainly a guy we like out there. Had a great performance in the doubles. It just starts with one match, get one win.

As Nick said, when you can get some momentum going, it sort of changes the dynamic of the match because you're talking about great players on both sides. If we could just get a win, that will help, but obviously we've got to get one.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Just picking up from what you just said about length, how much longer you'll play, et cetera, for a start, this year, do you think that this Laver Cup might be your last event for this year as a start? Can you expand a little bit more on what you were suggesting just now?

NICK KYRGIOS: Definitely this is my last event of the year. You know, I need to go back home. I have been traveling for four-and-a-half months now. My mum is not doing too well with her health. I'd like to go back and see her.

Obviously the conditions in Australia aren't ideal at the moment, but I don't want to be on the road playing tennis when I want to spend time with my family.

I feel like I'm not one of those players now that's going to go hunting for points or hunting for accolades or anything like that. I feel like I have nothing left to prove to myself. I'm incredibly proud of what I have achieved.

Obviously, you know, I'll get my body right and I'll start my preseason, spend time with my family for the Australian Open and go from there. I will reassess.

I'm not a player that's going to play every week. I have a lot of off-court duties and that type of stuff. Yeah, we will reassess. My focus right now is just to get back out on the bench. It's easy to be discouraged, get your head down after a loss, but we have been 9-3 down on Day 2 a couple of times and we have made that surge starting from Day 3.

So I know that we are capable of coming back, so that's my focus now. Anything external out of this event is another topic entirely.

Q. Tough loss today. Earlier this summer you used an interesting expression, at least to me, that you were an old soul. Can you tell us a little bit more about what that meant or what your thinking is around that term?

NICK KYRGIOS: Well, this is about my eighth year on tour. I feel like I have been around for a long, long time. You can see the Zverevs and Thiems and all that, I was on tour before these guys were on tour. I have had not a long career, but for me I always wanted to come on tour to beat the best players, show my personality, and then create a platform where I was able to help others.

I feel like that's what I have done. That's what I have proven. Where I go from here, everything's a bonus. I'm playing Laver Cup again, and I'm not going to lie, I think this is my last year I will probably play Laver Cup. There is an amazing amount of talent around the world and amazing personalities. You look at the rookies on the team, Opelka and Felix, who are incredible, incredible players. Felix, the way he carries himself, I almost see him as a little-brother-type thing. I just want him to continue on the path he's on. He's going to do some special things in this sport. There will be distractions that I once fell into that are tough to deal with at times.

But, yeah, I mean, that's just the way I feel. I'm very -- as long as I'm on the court, I will try and give my best, but I'm not going to lie and say that I'm going to plan to play four or five more years on tour. That's just not me.

Q. Team competitions bring out the best in you, and Laver Cup is probably the one which inspires you the most. Is this inspirational moment you take a look at the next season and draft a comprehensive plan for you to achieve your plans and goals?

NICK KYRGIOS: I didn't really understand the question, but my goal -- as I said, I don't want this press conference to go like a press conference I'd be having at a Grand Slam. This is like a team event. I don't want to make it about myself.

You know, where I go after this is my decisions and we can deal with that at another time, but right now, I had a tough loss against Stef. I'd like to get out and watch John, because I feel he's got an incredible chance to create an upset here, and then the way Shapo can play, he can cause upsets too. I really just want to keep it about the Laver Cup now.

Q. I wanted to ask you about what kind of experience or learnings you take with you each year after playing the Laver Cup.

NICK KYRGIOS: Laver Cup, I have had some of my most memorable moments on a tennis court here. This event changed my -- it made me more hungry. I think to the back end of the last couple of years when I was on the team, it made me, other tournaments, push a little bit harder, you know, to have that option you need to play on the team.

It's just an amazing event. I think for the sport it's so crucial, because I think when Federer, Nadal, Djokovic will eventually leave the sport, they are human, they are old, I think tennis will be in a very tough position marketing-wise. I think fans, we will lose a lot of fans.

This is a great way to give other players some attention. You know, you look at when Felix gets announced into Boston, he's incredibly loved. I think it gives fans who don't usually see tennis to start loving other players. I think from the entertainment standpoint, it's amazing. You know, this event gets more views than most Grand Slams.

It's awesome. It's made me feel incredibly special. I don't know if anyone else feels like this on the team, but where I once was in my life, I didn't think I'd be representing the world. It's special. It makes you feel good.