THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 10, 2022

Nick Kyrgios

Press Conference

N. DJOKOVIC/N. Kyrgios

4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Nick, well played out there, maybe not the result, but a great match. Tell us how you're feeling.

NICK KYRGIOS: Yeah, obviously very disappointed. I felt like, you know, to get to the final, there's always a bit of anxiety of how it's going to play out, if you kind of feel worthy to be there. I felt like the trophy was definitely attainable today.

Played a hell of a first set and put myself in a position to, you know, obviously take a stranglehold of the match.

He's just really composed. It's weird, I felt like he didn't do anything amazing today. He returned obviously the way he returns. I feel like he's just a great returner. But he was just so composed. That's what I was just thinking to myself. In big moments, it just felt like he was never rattled.

I feel like that's his greatest strength, he just never looks rattled. He just looks completely within himself the whole time. Didn't look like he was playing overaggressive, even though it felt like he was playing big.

Hats off to him. That was a hell of a match. I thought I served well. I put myself in a position to win, but I just wasn't able to play those clutch points well at all today.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. How do you think your motivation and belief in yourself will be affected by today and this whole fortnight?

NICK KYRGIOS: Yeah, I was just speaking to a couple of people about it. I feel like if I had won today, I would have struggled with motivation. I've been told my entire life winning Wimbledon is the ultimate achievement. For someone like me, I'm not like a young guy like Sinner or someone or Carlos Alcaraz, who have come on tour recently and gone deep in slams.

It's taken me 10 years, almost 10 years in my career to finally get to the point of playing for a Grand Slam and coming up short.

I feel like if I had won that Grand Slam, I think I would have lacked a bit of motivation, to be honest. Coming back for other tournaments, like 250s and stuff, I would have really struggled. I kind of achieved the greatest pinnacle of what you can achieve in tennis.

But my level is right there. I feel like you look at what Novak has done to some other opponents, and it's not a good feeling. But I'm right there. I'm not behind the eight ball at all. I played a slam final against one of the greatest of all time, and I was right there.

Confidence obviously. It was a hell of an occasion. People were probably expecting me to have something happen today. But I came out in the first set and I looked like I was the one who had played in a lot of finals. I thought I dealt with the pressure pretty well.

Q. You haven't played him for five years. How has he changed in that time?

NICK KYRGIOS: It's obviously best-of-five. In the previous two encounters, it was best-of-three sets. I won the first set. Obviously he feels the pressure from losing a set. In a best-of-three match, you know you have no room to breathe. I feel like he feels the score pressure a little bit.

In best-of-five against these guys, Novak and Nadal in general, even Federer, you feel like you win the first set, you still have to climb up Mt. Everest to get it done. Whereas best-of-three those two previous times, I won the first set, I was right on top of him, and I kept pressing and pressing.

I feel like that fourth set, if I'm able to just play a bit more of a solid tiebreak and take it to a fifth set, it's honestly anyone's match. I started to feel better physically towards the end of that match, which was odd.

But he's so composed. He just, I don't know, you can't seem to rattle him. I was trying to play aggressive off his second serve. I served amazing I thought today, and he was just able to put so many balls in play.

Q. Is it the toughest opponent you've ever come across?

NICK KYRGIOS: I wouldn't say that. As I said, I thought I put myself in a position to win today. But he doesn't make you feel as bad as Federer does at times. I think Federer out of the other three guys, Federer can make you feel really bad. He makes you want to leave the court. He can make things seem really quick. The court is really small.

Where Nadal and Djokovic, they allow you to play a little bit from the back. If you're playing not great, you struggle. But Federer can really take it to you and get you off the court real quick.

I wouldn't say it's the toughest. I think everything, the finals of Wimbledon, the anxiety of obviously having that day off from the semifinal, I slept terribly again last night. Just everything leading up.

I actually think not playing the semifinals may have done me a bit of a disservice because I was just thinking about it all the time. That comes with experience. I thought I handled myself well today. I came out there and I did what I had to do tactically to give myself a chance. I just came up short, and I'm happy with that.

Q. About Djokovic's composure and also your hunger to come back and win. Is composure something you would look to emulate and improve in your game?

NICK KYRGIOS: I think the other 126 players in the draw could improve their composure.

But at times out there, obviously I was getting angry a bit because I just looked at it as you win this tournament, you become the tennis immortal I feel. It was just an opportunity for me that people work their entire life for.

I put myself in a position to win the first set. Things started to get rocky a bit. He was just solid. Then I win that fourth set and who knows.

I mean, yeah, I can obviously improve many things in my game, not just composure. My forehand return needs to improve. I've been working on that a lot. Can always get stronger. Can always get fitter.

I feel like that was a bit of a dig, but I feel like everyone in the draw can improve something.

Q. You said the other day that you were super nervous. This morning you were super nervous. What was the experience like of playing your first Grand Slam singles final? Did you manage to enjoy that, appreciate the moment?

NICK KYRGIOS: I felt like I belonged, to be honest. When I walked out there and got into that first service game of his as well, that helped a lot. I lost nine points in a row against Garin in the quarterfinals. The alarm bells were starting to ring a little bit.

I think having that 2-0 record helped me a little bit. I'd beaten the player before. I can kind of draw on experience of what I've had success with.

I've played big finals before. I've played finals of 1000 events. My record in finals is pretty good. I've played some very good players in finals.

As I said, I felt like he just has so much experience to draw to. Look, he's won the tournament I don't know how many times now. Four times in a row. When you win an event that much, when you've been in those situations, it's unbelievable. You can tell yourself you've been here before.

The confidence and the belief in yourself, that only comes with achievement or something that he's achieved like that many times. I can only imagine how confident he feels every day, especially at Wimbledon, walking around.

So I've got that under my belt now, a Wimbledon finalist. I can kind of draw from experience, so...

I felt like I belonged, though. I feel like my game... My level has always been there. I feel like I've kind of put it together a little bit this week, these couple weeks, so...

Q. In the game you pointed out a woman who you thought had several hundred drinks. What impact did she have on you? Do you think she cost you the game?

NICK KYRGIOS: I wouldn't say she cost me the game. I'm playing the Wimbledon final against probably one of the best players of all time. I don't need someone absolutely smashed talking to me point in, point out. Do you know what I mea?

I'm all for having a great time. Like speaking between first and second serves to me, you know. I mean, look, I've been on a couple nights out in my life, and I knew that she had too many (smiling). Like I feel like, I told the umpire, I was like, She's speaking to me a lot, and she's drunk. What are you going to do about it?

He was like, I didn't know she was drunk.

Then she continued. And not just me. I feel like that's when you got to maybe give her a water or take her out.

Q. You might find this interesting, but since she said she had two drinks and she's actually rooting for you from the start. What do you make of that?

NICK KYRGIOS: Well, that doesn't make it okay to start talking to Nick Kyrgios who's playing a final of Wimbledon, middle of the point. Why are you trying to make that okay? What?

Q. Another distraction in the game was a protester came up and started shouting. I think you got distracted by that. How do you feel about people protesting during a match, especially when it relates to a Chinese tennis player?

NICK KYRGIOS: I didn't get distracted at all from it. I did notice it. That doesn't mean I got distracted from it though.

Q. Can you tell us what happened?

NICK KYRGIOS: I didn't see. I didn't hear. I didn't see anything. I just saw a couple of people on each other, and they just got taken out. I didn't see.

But I like that you're trying to bait me. I like that. Good try (smiling). Good, good try.

Q. You said in the aftermath on court that you hope you're back, but doubted you'd be back. You said if you had won, you might not want to come back. Has this lit a fire for you that you're more motivated to come back, having gotten so close, you can come back and get the job done?

NICK KYRGIOS: No. I feel like my fire's been lit this whole year. I've obviously met a lot of amazing people this year who have just given me extra motivation. To find people that finally have my back, that I just love being around, and they just want to push me to be a better person and to be a better tennis player, they realize that I'm immensely talented and I have a lot of, I feel like, a lot more to do in this sport.

I don't feel like it relights a fire or anything like that. I know I've been able to beat these players before. There were other things I couldn't figure out along the way.

It takes a hell of an athlete mentally and physically to win one of these things. I think eight people have won this title since I've been born. It shows physically one thing, obviously it shows. Mentally it's another beast. To come back here for two weeks in a row. None of the people in this room understand it.

It's just different. Like the social media, the things you have to deal with, like for me it hasn't been easy the last three or four days to block everything out on socials, just everything, and try and just find the balance. It's so easy to access all that stuff. I've really tried to make a conscious effort of trying to focus on the task on hand.

I don't think past tennis players understand that either, like the older guys. They don't understand how much negativity and opinions get thrown your way. It's hard. It's really hard to deal with all that.

I commend Federer, Djokovic, and Nadal. These guys, what they deal with must be insane. And that is, for me, that shows the sign of a champion. That's what they deal with, as well, and then being able to perform, it's incredible.

Q. Do you feel like you're ready to fully commit and maintain this commitment?

NICK KYRGIOS: I feel like I've committed a fair bit these two weeks. What more can I do, to be honest? I've stayed in most of the time. I've tried to just get good sleep, eat well. Not even have a beer here or there. I've really tried to commit. My practices I've really tried to focus, tried to work on things.

Like, I've committed. I've committed everything I can commit these two weeks and I just came up short. I was taught that's all right. Even though it sucks. Of course it sucks.

I'm playing points back in my head from that match that I wish I could have back, but it is what it is.

Q. The words that both of you said on the court seemed quite sincere. I'm not suggesting you guys are best friends forever. Can you talk about, is there a different kind of respect when you're in a battle like this and you get through it together and you hear what he says, he hears what you say?

NICK KYRGIOS: Yeah, I mean, me and Novak actually practiced with each other a lot earlier in my career. Practiced in Rome, Toronto. Then obviously we butted heads a little bit.

But as a tennis player, I always respected him, what he was able to do. Then I feel like when I stood up for him, he was surprised. Ever since then I feel like when the chips are down and someone comes out -- what I did was not easy. I kind of went against my whole nation basically and spoke out about it.

I feel like that's an underlying. No matter how much you don't like someone or how different they are, if they're going to take arrows in the back for you in the public, then you've got to have ultimate respect for them.

Today I felt like it was two completely different players. I'm not supposed to be a Wimbledon finalist, like where I'm from, everything I've been through. Like, I just feel ridiculous to be here talking as a Wimbledon finalist.

I feel like we have a bit of a good relationship now. And I'm honored to go out there and battle with the best. Like, this is just the example, like, anything's possible really. Someone like me able to go out there and give Novak Djokovic, keep him out there for three hours in a Wimbledon final, it's pretty cool.

Q. You mentioned earlier about the last four days, how it's not been easy. What was the toughest part about that?

NICK KYRGIOS: Even if it's support, it's just a lot. It's just a lot mentally. Everyone's supporting you. There are negative comments. Like the pressure of playing finals at Wimbledon. Am I going to do good? Am I going to behave well for me? There's so many things.

Like playing Djokovic is a hard enough task as it is. To go out there, I feel like I lost this match, but I feel like there's just weight off my shoulders. I feel like there's so much weight on my shoulders all the time when I step out on the tennis court, now it's just released and I feel amazing. This is the best I've felt the two weeks.

I was obviously super excited to be here and I had some high hopes, but I've never felt, to be honest, good. I just felt so much pressure. There's so much, like, anxiety, pressure to do things or achieve things. If I don't do well, like it's just so much. So I feel unbelievable. Like I'm two beers deep.

Q. You just mentioned you don't feel like you're meant to be there. Could you expand on that?

NICK KYRGIOS: I'm just not supposed to be here. Like, I'm a kid from Canberra. I literally a month ago, month and a half ago, I was actually in a facility playing basketball with some boys back home. I literally said to one of them, Look, I think I'm going to, like, have some fun and maybe win Wimbledon. Then, like, I'm here as a finalist. Like literally. Like, I didn't hit more than an hour a day. Just everything.

Like, I look back at it and I'm just like, How am I here? How am I here? You know, it's pretty cool.