Australian tennis ace Nick Kyrgios spent the weekend in an unfamiliar role during the ATP Finals in Turin, trying his hand in the commentary box as he recovers from an enduring wrist injury… and fans are all saying the same thing.
It’s been four and a half months since Nick Kyrgios announced he’d be pulling out of the annual Wimbledon Championships in early July this year, citing an ongoing wrist injury sustained during a practice session at the Mallorca Championships just a few weeks prior.
Since then, the Australian tennis star has focused on his recovery to ensure he can hit the ground running when he returns to the top of the sport, but that hasn’t kept him out of the sport entirely with spells as a coach for a LA tournament and social media commentary on his fellow players.
This weekend, Kyrgios continued to make some steady inroads off the tennis court; swapping out the signature cap and tennis gear for a fresh skin fade and sharp tan suit, Kyrgios excelled in an unfamiliar role in the commentary box, speaking on his ongoing struggles with his injuries, fellow pros competing in the ATP Finals in Turin and his hunger to return to the court.
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King Kyrgios, who usually strikes a hugely divisive figure in the world of tennis and spends most of his time on the baseline returning the barrage of analysis and criticisms for his behaviour both on and off the court, was relaxed, personable and, arguably, in his element in front of the camera speaking about a subject he’s so clearly passionate about.
His authority within the game is unquestionable; a Wimbledon finalist just one year ago, a fit and firing Kyrgios is a formidable opponent on the tennis court, losing only to tennis’ most decorated player of all time, Novak Djokovic, during a spirited match on Wimbledon’s Centre Court, and his knowledge of the game is elite.
Kyrgios was a late addition to the punditry line-up in Turin, but the sidelined pro was funny and engaging in his new role, seemingly disarmed and reflective away from the court as he analysed Daniil Medvedev and Alexander Zverev’s match… although the Australian star suffered an innocent gaffe uttering “sex” instead of “success” – much to his colleagues’ amusement.
Of course, we all want to see Kyrgios return to the circuit and rediscover the form that took him as far as the Wimbledon final in 2022; but if this ‘audition’ is anything to go by, he could have found found his calling when he eventually walks away from the court.