Nick Kyrgios recently opened up about his tennis journey in a conversation with journalist Jemele Hill.
Kyrgios rose to prominence in tennis, clinching the junior World No. 1 ranking and securing a junior Grand Slam title at the 2013 Australian Open. Transitioning to the professional circuit, he gained recognition for his unique and dynamic playing style, reaching the top 15 in the ATP Tour rankings in 2016.
However, Kyrgios’ volatile on-court demeanor often landed him in controversy, as he frequently clashed with officials and peers, resulting in fines and suspensions. Despite his success in tennis, he openly expressed his aversion to the sport and his passion for basketball.
In a candid discussion on Hill’s talk show Good Trouble, the 28-year-old reflected on his early struggles with tennis.
“I hated tennis. I grew up very fat, and overweight as a kid, and my mum saw that and said, ‘You need to be a bit active.’ She dragged me down to the tennis courts and got me into tennis. I hated it. I was crying… It was traumatizing, to be honest,” Kyrgios shared.
Kyrgios also reminisced about his affection for basketball, drawn to its culture and the allure of stars like Vince Carter.
“I loved basketball. I loved the culture. I used to sit there watching VCR tapes and CDs of Vince Carter, and Nike Dunks, and I loved everything about basketball, the camaraderie, the teamwork,” he expressed.
Despite his love for basketball, Kyrgios acknowledged that his parents influenced his decision to pursue tennis, viewing it as a pathway to a better life.
“I guess my parents pushed me towards that dream of tennis. They love the sport, and in Australia, tennis is huge, it’s one of our biggest sports there. I know it’s not as big in America, and my parents didn’t have much growing up. They saw that I was talented, and they saw that as a way of having a better life,” Kyrgios explained.
