Kyrgios wins in nick of time
Wimbledon: Even in whites, Nick Kyrgios is a colourful character. On Wednesday evening, when the sun bathed Court No.1 in full glory, the Australian enfant terrible held himself together in the nick of time to outgun Chilean Cristian Garin 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (7/5).
Wearing one ear-ring, his arm tattooed, cap pulled backwards like in baseball, Kyrgios was fired up like a rocket. He has been waiting to launch himself for a very long time. He has also been waiting to exorcise the ghosts of the past. Ghosts which have been haunting him for well over half a decade. What better place and day Kyrgios chose to show he is made of solid stuff, wearing out Garin in straight sets.
For long, Kyrgios has struggled to bridge the gap between potential and performance. Maybe, this is his year, Maybe, he has understood, to win big matches, he has to show not flashes of brilliance but more consistency. It's not about the strokes on court alone. A lot is about what all goes on in his head. Even a neuro surgeon may find it difficult to analyse the grey matter inside Kyrgios's cranium. He is unpredictable, keeps talking to himself, argues non-stop. And then he comes up with tennis which can be as smooth as the best wine you would find in a luxury cellar in London.
Welcome to the semi-finals of The Championships, Nick Kyrgios. Tennis loves characters and tennis loves those who provide entertainment. Kyrgios is a big entertainer. Not just with his strokes. His mannerisms may seem weird. Yet, his body language emits positivity, similar to that of a street-fighter ready to take on a bunch of hooligans!
Well, for Kyrgios, his opponent on court and the man who sits in the chair as umpire are his targets. He uses every trick in the trade, sometimes, crosses the line. He will curse and he will also purse his lips. Expletives may not be audible enough, at times. Yet, from his lip sync you can read he is letting out steam to keep himself going.
On Wednesday, one saw a bit of a steam engine in Kyrgios at first and then an electric engine in motion as he conquered the demons. The best, perhaps, was saved for the climactic third set tie-breaker, where he showed temperament and a termagant approach. That's what separated the two combatants in a match which did not last too long.
There are some matches which bore the hell out of the spectator. No, Kyrgios never allowed that to happen. He kept the fans engaged. They responded by cheering for him, rooting for him. He needed that extra burst of energy, provided by the audience to fire in the big shots when needed the most.
In baseline rallies, mostly from the back court and mid court, Kyrgios was the baron. Call it arrogance, or authority, he would twist the arm of his opponent, figuratively, by coming up with a drop shot. In between, there would be a change in the angle he would conjure up to frustrate the Chilean no end.
The world of tennis has seen a certain Marcelo Rios dominate men's tennis for a brief period in 1997. Rios, for all his talent as a southpaw, never lived up to the hype. Had he been watching Garin, he would be upset. For, to defeat Kyrgios one needs not just tennis skills but also play mindgames. All kinds of things have been said about Kyrgios, he lacks temperament, he lacks big match strategy, he is not serious. Perhaps, this fortnight, he has answered the Doubting Thomasses.
Kyrgios's passage into the semi-finals was celebrated with a deliberate fall on court. It was a mild thud. Nevertheless, he had landed on terra firma this time as a winner and not someone who was going to go out of the competition. What is most important, Australian men's tennis, struggling to find its identity in a long time, has found a new face with great character.
This one result should instil faith and confidence in Kyrgios, as he had looked wasted for too long.
