Nick Kyrgios has admitted he was forced to be a “certain player” to live up to the expectations of the tennis world. The Australian has been in noticeably good spirits so far this season and brought that to a dominant 6-4 6-0 win over Sebastian Baez in Indian Wells, but opened up on feeling like he had to be “something [he] wasn’t” in the past.
Kyrgios is playing his first tournament since becoming a Grand Slam champion at the Australian Open.
The current world No 132 ended his 2021 season in September with a knee injury and tested positive for Covid just before his home Grand Slam, recovering in time to compete.
While his singles campaign ended early after running into highest seed Daniil Medvedev in the second round, he went on to lift the men’s doubles title alongside good friend Thanasi Kokkinakis, making them the first wildcards in the Open Era to win the Australian Open men’s doubles trophy.
The 26-year-old seemed happier in Melbourne this year and has carried his positivity into Indian Wells, writing “be positive” on the camera after dispatching world No 60 Baez in an hour and 12 minutes on Thursday.
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“I was really struggling. I wasn’t happy. The tennis world wanted me to be a certain player,” he admitted.
Known for his on-court antics and outbursts, some of which have previously ended in huge fines and tournament disqualifications, Kyrgios hinted that he had been pigeonholed as the ‘bad boy’ of tennis.
He continued: “I was trying to be something that I wasn’t for so many years. It put me in a dark place. I was letting people down, I fell out with my family. It was tough.
“One day I looked in the mirror and said that this isn’t the type of person that I’m trying to be.”
Explaining his newfound positive mindset, the six-time singles title winner added: “And now I’m a completely different person. I’m comfortable in my own skin, I’m not trying to please anyone. I’m not trying to be anyone else.
“I’m Nick Kyrgios and I just go out there and play and have fun and if I win, I win and if I lose, I lose.
“Life is good.”
Kyrgios will next face 32nd seed Federico Delbonis in the second round.
He and Kokkinakis were also awarded a wildcard into the doubles draw after their Aussie Open win and open against Ivan Dodig and Marcelo Melo.