CITI OPEN

August 7, 2022

Nick Kyrgios

Press Conference

N. KYRGIOS/Y. Nishioka

6-4, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Congrats a lot, Nick. You are just the first player to win both singles and doubles titles in the same year in the tournament history. How special is that?

NICK KYRGIOS: Yeah, I'm extremely proud of myself and my team. It was a really, really good week. It was hard-fought. Had some incredibly tough matches.

Every practice was really good. I tried to be as professional as I could. I'm just happy to be sitting here, making history along the way.

I think, as I said yesterday, it's a reflection of the last six months of how hard I have been working. I'm just really happy to continue the form after Wimbledon. I think you have got a small window after a Grand Slam that people kind of fear you before they step out on the court. I feel like I made the most of it this week. I'm really happy with my performance.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. On the points you just raised, is it too much to say your success at Wimbledon reignited something in you? How would you explain, if anything, what it did to you inside commitment-wise?

NICK KYRGIOS: I feel like I have been feeling like this for the last, I'd say, almost eight months. I feel like before Oz Open, I decided that I really wanted to put in a good training block, and then things just started falling into place.

The rest of my life started, you know, just everything was really good. You know, I had a great Australian Open. I felt like the tournaments after Australian Open I was kind of reinventing myself a little bit on the court. I was incredibly intense, playing some really good matches, had some great results earlier in the year.

Played a great grass court season. Made a couple semifinals and was right there. I was always knocking on the door of a singles title. I was waiting for it. I felt like I was, you know, one of the best players in the world this year by far.

I feel if I had points from Wimbledon, I'd be nearing on the top 10. So, you know, I feel like I have really kind of reinvented myself this year.

Q. Along those lines, when you are on the court, does it feel to you like you are playing maybe the best and most focused tennis you ever have? Is this maybe as good a stretch as you feel like you have ever had in your career? If I could just add one other follow-up: What do you think will be the key to stretching that, whether it's to New York or beyond that?

NICK KYRGIOS: Honestly, I feel as if I'm a lot older, a lot more mature, and I feel like when you play on the tour and you age and you get older, you realize you shouldn't be taking these things for granted, the way you're feeling, the way your body feels.

Also, I have a partner with me now I see a future with and I kind of see that I have to provide for. So I feel like my motivation is a lot higher than it used to be.

I don't know. I just feel like there is a small window I should capitalize on it. I don't care about what people say about my tennis, like always disrespectful to the sport, all this, all that. I know that deep down that I try really hard to do it my own way. I know that I inspire millions of people, and I'm just playing for them.

You know, I wouldn't even say I'm playing for myself at this point. I just want to go out there, have fun, try my best, and do it my way. I think that people are starting to see that a little bit more.

Q. Congratulations on both titles. They are going to name a street for you here in town at some point if you keep this up. What is it about Washington and this kickoff to the hard court season that gets you going and love playing here?

NICK KYRGIOS: Well, my home town, Canberra, is basically modeled off this place. It's the same design, honestly, same kind of feel, to be honest, as well.

When I'm in Washington, I kind of feel like it's home. It's not as busy as, say, New York or Atlanta or Miami. It's a bit more almost timid-like. It's quiet, a lot of greenery. Feels like home.

I really enjoyed it. We had a couple days at the start of the tournament when we were doing some sightseeing, so enjoyable, added some great restaurants. Just had a great time. Obviously maybe not as much free time as we would have liked. Obviously my partner and I want days where we can kind of go on dates and see the world, but a week like this, I have been pretty occupied.

But, you know, I just love it. I love Washington. It's always been really good to me. I felt like last year it's not the showing that I wanted to have. I wanted to always remember this place as somewhere that I have achieved some pretty high things and I want to keep it that way.