CITI OPEN

August 3, 2022

Nick Kyrgios

Press Conference

N. KYRGIOS/T. Paul

6-3, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: A great match out there. How did it feel playing Tommy today?

NICK KYRGIOS: Yeah, always fun. Always seem to find my best tennis when I play Tommy. I played him in Washington and Houston. I played pretty two flawless matches from a return-and-serve standpoint.

But, you know, I feel as if all these matches are so crucial. As I didn't get any points from Wimbledon, I'm trying to stay locked in, and I feel if I had points from Wimbledon I wouldn't have that pressure of forcing myself to kind of win these matches, you know.

But in a way, it's good because I'm still putting in some really good performances. But as I said, I think I'm trying to get my ranking up a little bit more to a point where I don't have to play two matches to be in the third round of a 500. A bye would be nice. And I definitely feel like I'm playing that top tennis anyway.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Was finding love the key to your tennis game? Would you recommend it to other players?

NICK KYRGIOS: I love it as she looks up as you asked me that.

Look, I think just being at peace with your life definitely helps. I think everything around me right now is amazing. You know, I'm fortunate enough to be in a really healthy relationship that's loving, she's supports me, and we just have fun. Having my physio with me full time, pretty much full time this year has been great, because that was something I wasn't able to do last year because of COVID.

The restrictions for Australians, having that two-week quarantine, that wasn't something I was willing to put him through.

I just got, as I said, physio, my girlfriend, supportive, my manager is my best friend. I feel we are all on same page, have the same goals, I'm training hard. We are just having fun with it.

If you look at the most successful players in the world, everything around them is set up and they don't worry about anything else externally. Their job is just go out there and focus on the tennis court and fight hard and produce tennis, and that's it.

Q. Do you tell your box to stand up after every point?

NICK KYRGIOS: I don't. I don't, but I do expect them to (smiling). No, but, yeah, I mean, look, in a perfect world I would like them to do a squatting routine during the day to get them ready for that.

No, they know, I think they can tell when I'm in some tough positions out there. As I said, I think after Wimbledon if I was ranked where I should be ranked, I wouldn't be so intense in a first round of a 500 against Marcos Giron. But that's just the hand I'm dealt right now. I think it's good, it's rewarding. That's just what it is right now. I think we are all -- they can feel how intense I am and how professional I'm being off the court.

You know, I'm not doing anything to kind of hurt my performance. I'm being professional, eating well, going to bed, and we are on the same page. I would like them to know that I love them. That's all that matters.

Q. In your career, your ranking has never reflected your ability a couple times. I certainly get what was lost at Wimbledon. My question is at this stage in your life with the ambitions you have, is the ranking important primarily strategically so you get seeded and can get into tournaments without that first-round stressor? Is it part of an identity or a badge that matters to you?

NICK KYRGIOS: Not at all. I think if you ask Rublev or Tommy Paul what my ranking is now to what it reflects my tennis is, they wouldn't say I'm 63 in the world.

Q. Exactly.

NICK KYRGIOS: Yeah, it's not some accolade. It helps. Last night I played a first round, tough first round, and I got drug tested until 12:00 a.m. midnight and expected to play tonight.

I think a seeded player doesn't even play his first round. He gets to bed at the time he wants to get to bed. Eats what he wants to eat. I was told to eat in the cafe when there was no food. These are just things I think a seeded player won't have to deal with.

But it's not really an accolade or anything. I feel you're right. My ranking has never sort of reflected my game. That's also due to the schedule I play. I have never really played a full schedule. Towards the end of the year, it's just too much travel for me. It's not something I'm willing to explore either. I don't want to give that time at home up and time with my family and girlfriend. We need that time at home. I'm not worried about my ranking. It would help in certain things.

Q. You talked about the importance of your team. Obviously there is no one titled "coach" in your team. So what do you do as the coach of Nick Kyrgios?

NICK KYRGIOS: What would I do?

Q. I'm guessing you are then the coach of Nick Kyrgios, so what do you do in terms of tactics, prepare for matches? Or is there somebody else giving you that information without that title?

NICK KYRGIOS: No, I feel like tactically when I play players I'm very switched on. I watch a lot of film. I know every player's weakness and strength.

I do my own research. I feel as if no one knows my game as good as myself. But I feel like there can be one little thing that my team says to me that can help me. I don't need someone to tell me how to play tennis. I just need positive reinforcement at times to just give me feedback that I'm doing all right and I'm doing well, because I have had so much negativity in my career that sometimes I beat myself up way too much. I feel like just one little positive thing can do so much for my tennis.

Tactically I'm very switched on. There are players that have come to me for tactics against opponents. I feel like, yeah, I'm definitely my own coach out there. But it's pretty simple. I just serve big and play on instinct and play big, and it works well.

Q. You are not playing Laver Cup for the first time since it started. How long are you planning on being in Australia, if that's the reason for that scheduling? Do you think Team World, what's it going to take for Team World to win? Without you it seems pretty uphill.

NICK KYRGIOS: I think having Sock for doubles is good. We definitely need to help him on the doubles court. I think we need a big server, at least, one of the big servers to go and help him get some points on the doubles court, because without the doubles, they're not going to win.

But the reason I'm not playing is my girlfriend, she hasn't done much traveling in her life, and we have already been on the road for nearly two-and-a-half months, and by the end of the US Open, it's going to be three-and-a-half months. It's just too much travel. She's got a family too. I have a family. My mom's not entirely that well.

I just don't want to put something like Laver Cup, even though I love that event, I love that event, obviously Jack's been trying to make me play every day. Every single day he will ask me. But it's just not something I'm willing to sacrifice, because these are the most important things in my life that tennis just doesn't take priority over that.

Q. You talked about the support of your team, but could you talk a little bit about what's going on in those moments where you get kind of frustrated during the match and you are kind of yelling towards them or at them? Is it what you were talking about before, that you feel if they gave you a little bit more energy in that moment that it will help you through? I think it was happening today in that fifth game in the second set that was going on forever, obviously happened in the Wimbledon final as well. What specifically are you trying to get from them at the moment?

NICK KYRGIOS: There is no hiding that I'm just crazy in that sense. There is nothing around it. I just feel as if it's almost like before the point I want every sort of bit of luck to be on my side for me to win that, and I feel like that just might be the only thing that would make me win the point that once another person says one more thing, who knows?

Just, I don't know, that's it. I feel like when I have been in that -- look, everyone's different. When I'm supporting my friends, when I'm out there watching, I feel like I'm -- I understand the game, like I understand the game a little bit better than they do.

Maybe I'm asking for too much, which most of the time I am. They are an incredible support group. My physio has been with me now for almost eight, nine years. I wouldn't be here today in this physical shape without him. I can't thank my girlfriend enough and everything we've all been through. They know I would do anything for them and almost die for them.

Q. (Off mic.)

NICK KYRGIOS: No, of course not. It's not rational. I think Andy Murray is a key guy that does it as well. You know, you ask him, and off the court he's so calm and nice, but in the heat of the moment it's pressure, it's an outlet, and I feel like, yeah, that's all it is.

Q. You have talked about doing things a little differently than you did a few years ago. Are there one or two examples of maybe things you are doing now in terms of training or that you didn't do previously?

NICK KYRGIOS: I just feel I'm a bit more professional on a day-to-day basis. You know, I try and I think I'm just not taking anything for granted. I think earlier in my career when I would come to places, I wouldn't really like to explore. I wouldn't really, just when I'm at the courts, I wouldn't interact with fans that much. Wouldn't take practices seriously. I would tank matches here or there.

It was just a tough time. I was just trying to figure out my life. It was hard for a young kid that had all that pressure, dealing with all negativity. There were just some weeks when I didn't feel like doing anything.

It was impossible for me to go out there and give a good performance. Now I feel as if my team kind of keeps me balanced. I don't know.

Obviously I'm the driver of the bus. I feel if my effort is bad, it's like why is my physio here? Why are we traveling? I'm definitely the driver of the bus from an effort standpoint.

We were all in the Bahamas, and I'm scheduling practices every day where I could have just taken a week off. Do you know what I mean? I feel like I'm just taking everything a bit more seriously. And, yeah, it's my job. I need to make money as well. Yeah.