THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 4, 2022

Nick Kyrgios

Press Conference

N. KYRGIOS/B. Nakashima

4-6, 6-4, 7-6, 3-6, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Nick, your thoughts on the match. Quite a match.

NICK KYRGIOS: I was really impressed with just Brandon today. Honestly, I didn't watch too much of his matches before today. Obviously I looked at the draw. Looked at some of the people he beat. Shapovalov, he won juniors here, so I knew that Nakashima was going to bring a pretty good level today.

I just felt so many areas of his game were impressive for me. Second serve was unbelievable. I wasn't able to attack it. His backhand was so good. Any time he got on a return, I felt like he pushed it back in play.

For me, I knew from the get-go I wasn't playing as well as I would have liked. I wasn't feeling the ball like I was against Tsitsipas or Krajinovic. I knew I had to keep my head down and just battle today. It was a good mental performance.

At the end of the fourth, complete rope-a-dope tactic. I just threw away that service game. I knew he was in a rhythm. He was starting to get on top of me. I kind of just wanted to throw him off a little bit. It worked.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. That all being the case, how do you feel about what you've achieved today and where it puts you for the rest of this tournament?

NICK KYRGIOS: Yeah, as I said, I'll keep having the same mentality, taking one match at a time. I can clearly understand how he made fourth round here. He's a hell of an opponent. He's obviously feeling pretty good. They feel like they're seeing the ball. So everyone is capable at this point in time. There's eight players left.

I just want to continue to do the right things physically, professionally. My team does such a good job. I do so much physio work. We all stay as a close-knit team. We're just doing this together. Hopefully we can keep going.

Q. Can you talk us through the shoulder. You seemed so uncomfortable in the first set. By the end you were serving 137 miles per hour.

NICK KYRGIOS: I woke up after Tsitsipas and had some shoulder pain. I've played so much tennis in the last month and a half, so I almost knew that it was time for my body to start feeling some niggles. I think that's normal. At this time in the event I don't think anyone is feeling 100%. Obviously Rafa, you see him dealing with something niggling all the time. I just don't think there's anyone feeling 100%.

It's just something I manage. Mentally I feel like I just deal with these things a lot better now. Earlier in my career -- I knew today I wasn't feeling 100%. But mentally I stayed quite calm, you know, knowing I wasn't able to serve full out for the whole five sets. Obviously I had to take painkillers.

As I said, I wasn't returning well for a period of time, then I just stuck to my guns in the fifth set. I felt like the level in the fifth set for me was raised whereas his level kind of went away a little bit.

Q. What would it mean to you to get to a semi at this level?

NICK KYRGIOS: That's not my goal. I was telling people back home that I wanted to go for the title this year round.

I'm not thinking about lifting a trophy or making semifinals or making the final. I'm just thinking about my habits every day, just trying to put in a good performance on the court, then put in a good practice session, try to stay positive, try to really separate -- you know, once I'm off the court, enjoy time with my team, my girlfriend, and just really enjoy that, then get into the game mode.

I'm not thinking about anything ahead or any goals like that. I'm just really trying to stay in the moment.

Q. There have been times in your career where you've discussed not enjoying the sport, not having the foremost motivation. How would you describe what you're experiencing right now on the court in terms of enjoyment and motivation?

NICK KYRGIOS: Well, I just feel like I've been through so much. I feel like I'm able to stay more composed.

Today I was almost just smiling and laughing to myself on the far side, just knowing I was locked in an absolute battle. Where in the past I wasn't able to kind of enjoy that.

Like I kind of was enjoying the fact that I was, like, two sets to one, obviously before I lost the fourth. He was playing really well. I wasn't playing that great. But I was almost enjoying the competitiveness.

That's probably the first time in my career where I wasn't playing well, regardless of playing Centre Court Wimbledon, fully packed crowd, I was able to just say, Wow, look how far I've come, to myself. I was bouncing the ball before I served. I really just smiled to myself. I was like, We're here, we're competing at Wimbledon, putting in a good performance mentally.

It was rewarding. I thought if I didn't play and stayed calm... It was a really good mental performance today. I think I'm enjoying the battle a bit more. I'm expecting everyone to play well against me now 'cause for him, I was that kid once who stepped on that court, being the underdog. Where today it was me walking on Centre Court being the favorite. It was completely different for me, different feeling. But I was able to navigate that.

Q. You spoke with incredible honesty about the dark times you've gone through off the court, how you turned your life around over the last two years. Can you reflect on that journey and how you're doing now.

NICK KYRGIOS: Well, look, there was a time where I was having to be forced out of a pub at 4 a.m. to play Nadal second round. My agent had to come get me out of a pub at 4 a.m. before I played my match on Centre Court Wimbledon. I've come a long way, that's for sure.

But I think just daily habits and the people around me. I've got an incredible support crew. My physio is one of my best friends. My best friend is my agent. I've got the best girlfriend in the world. I've just got so many people around me, they just support me. I feel like I can reflect on all those dark times when I pushed them all away.

Now to sit here quarterfinals of Wimbledon, feeling good, feeling composed, feeling mature, having that around me, I'm extremely blessed. I feel like I'm just comfortable in my own skin.

Q. On the court you sounded like a bit of an old veteran when talking about Brandon. Do you feel like it, playing against a 20-year-old on Centre Court?

NICK KYRGIOS: Yeah, people often forget this is almost my 10th year on tour. I kind of feel like I was the first guy who broke through young, like at 19, beating Rafa at Wimbledon. I feel like I was the first young guy to kind of show all the other guys, like Zverev and Thiem and stuff, that they were able to do it, as well. I feel like I was the first one to break the mold.

You look at guys like Alcaraz, Sinner, who are absolutely fearless. I don't know, I think a lot of players think, like, Federer, Djokovic, Nadal are almost gods and you can't, like, hurt them. I feel like I showed that one of them was human that day.

I definitely feel like I've been around for a long time. People don't really realize, like, I'm 27 now. I was playing here. I played juniors here as well, 16. I've been here so much. So I feel comfortable here.

But I definitely feel like a bit of a veteran now.

Q. There were a lot of critics after the Tsitsipas match. Were you able to block that out, ignore what was being said?

NICK KYRGIOS: Honestly, I don't care. Like, I just smile. Like, it's so funny. Like, I joke around with my team about it so much. Like, it's hilarious.

I almost just wake up and read things, and I just laugh. And I never forget things, like the people say, whether it was three, four years ago, things that just stick with me. I have a massive chip on my shoulder. Like I sit here now in quarterfinals Wimbledon again, and I just know there's so many people that are so upset (smiling).

Q. You see it?

NICK KYRGIOS: I haven't seen it all. It's just, it's a good feeling.

Q. Your team were up and out of their feet practically every point you were winning. How did that affect you, give you energy when you were low early on?

NICK KYRGIOS: Yeah, I started off pretty flat. I didn't start off flat, I just felt like I wasn't able to find the court. It's such a big court, but I felt like the court was quite small.

For about an hour and a half I felt like I couldn't play as free or play as consistent as I've been playing. I feel like my team kind of knew that I was a bit -- obviously being the favorite there today, it's a different feeling to how I've been walking out there usually.

But, you know, in the fifth set, in the closing moments when I look at them, there's a million thoughts racing through my head. Like people won't understand how many thoughts actually are running through your head in that moment of time, especially for me, because I just think about everything prior to leading up to this moment. And I'm talking years of things that are racing through my mind.

So when I look at them, it just gives me -- even if it's 1%, 2% of stability in that moment, it helps. Look, they deal with a lot of shit, that's for sure, from me, but they always support me. It just goes so long, such a long way.

Q. Looking from outside, if you see this tennis world, how much different is Mr. Nick Kyrgios compared to the other tennis players? Is more different by personality, charisma, game?

NICK KYRGIOS: On the court or off the court?

Q. Whatever you think. Try to be in our part of the desk.

NICK KYRGIOS: Well, none of you really know me at all. Like, you don't hang out with me at all. You only kind of see what you see on the court. It's always been a bit of a roller coaster. So I understand how it's mixed reviews.

But I don't know. People just love to just have an opinion. Even though I'm trying new things or trying to be different, you all have an opinion.

But as for my close friends in the locker room, like Jack Sock, Jordan Thompson, Thanasi, I have so many friends and they know how I am. I don't take myself too seriously at all. I love to just come in the locker room and joke around. I'll always support them. They know after all tennis is said and done, I'm still going to be there, like, as a good friend of theirs.

I have conversations with Andy all the time. Like, I just feel, I don't know, you guys don't know me at all. Like, you've never actually hung out with me.

It's a lot of fun.

Q. Talking about fun. You said you're going to have a wine tonight to celebrate.

NICK KYRGIOS: I'll probably just have dinner with my team and just relax, honestly. It's so good. I just feel like I can really separate. It's important.

I don't think in the past when I've gotten this far in a Grand Slam or when I've played big matches, I haven't been able to separate. I used to be on my phone a lot after matches like this. When you get a result like this, it's so easy to be attached to technology, seeing everyone's opinion on the match or highlights or anything like that.

But I feel like I'm really able to switch off from that. That's a big part of my growth I think. Obviously being obsessed with my girlfriend helps.

I'm just able to just really just let that go and just enjoy my dinner and wake up the next day, just separate tennis and life. I think that's the most important thing.

Q. It's interesting your comments earlier about the controversy that seems to materialize around you. We all know the Wimbledon dress code rules are very strict. Competitors must be dressed in suitable tennis attire that's almost entirely white, and this applies from the point at which the player enters the court. Why would you walk on Centre Court with bright red trainers on and do an interview in a red cap?

NICK KYRGIOS: Because I do what I want.

Q. You're above the rules?

NICK KYRGIOS: No, I'm not above the rules.

Q. They don't apply to you?

NICK KYRGIOS: I just like wearing my Jordans.

Q. But there are rules specifically against that. I don't want to spoil the surprise, but the referees are going to be speaking to you about it afterwards.

NICK KYRGIOS: That's okay. I'll wear some Triple Whites tomorrow.

Q. Everyone else in both draws...

NICK KYRGIOS: No one else. Even after Wimbledon, no one else really walks with Jordans on the court.

Q. You just moaned about the controversy that surrounds you.

NICK KYRGIOS: I don't moan. I love it.

Q. You've laughed it off. That's all part of it then?

NICK KYRGIOS: Well, yes. More attention for me. What's that's saying? Any publicity is good publicity, right?

Q. If you say so.

NICK KYRGIOS: Keep doing you then, champion.

Q. Any thoughts on Garin? It's a big chance, you play just to quarterfinal in your career. You said you have been here for a lot of times, but seven years and a half you were missing a quarterfinal. Any thoughts about the match? It looks like a good opportunity, no?

NICK KYRGIOS: Yeah, of course. You look, that was Berrettini's little section. When you see Berrettini not there, it's a sigh of relief for every player in the draw, obviously a finalist of Wimbledon. I think probably arguably top three players on grass in the world, Berrettini, for sure.

Yeah, I look at it as a big opportunity. Garin is obviously playing great tennis. I walked on Centre Court today with seeing the score two sets to love de Minaur. They were in a battle. I was expecting to play Alex. I think Alex is a bit more comfortable on the grass. Then when I walked off the court and I got told it was Garin. It was surprising.

But I look at it as an opportunity. But I need to do so many things before that match to get ready. I need to rest, recover, eat right, get good sleep. There's so many things, so many steps before I go out there and compete again.