Kyrgios says it’s “crazy” to claim he hasn’t achieved success in his career

Nick Kyrgios hit back at his detractors in a recent podcast appearance and says it’s “crazy” to suggest he’s falling behind.

Kyrgios burst onto the stage, beating Rafael Nadal, who announced his retirement a few weeks agoat the 2014 Wimbledon Championships while reaching the quarter-finals at SW19.

The Australian captivated fans with a combination of superb serve, variety and incredible shots, leading some to believe the then 19-year-old was destined for the very top.

Since then, Kyrgios has made impressive progress. His most notable achievement was finishing second to Novak Djokovic at the 2022 Wimbledon Championships after losing the final in four sets.

Kyrgios also reached the final of the 2017 Cincinnati Open and has won seven ATP titles during his career, including two at the Citi Open in Washington and one at the Japan Open in Tokyo.

While Kyrgios’ achievements should not be underestimated, he did not reach the pinnacle of the sport before suffering serious injuries, and it will be very difficult for him to do so. when he returns for the 2025 Australian Open after more than two years of absence.

The 29-year-old is confident in what he can achieve during his return next year. Kyrgios aims to win first Grand Slam singles title and reassure those who doubted Him.

However, Kyrgios also denies that he has failed to achieve success even if he does not win a major singles title for the rest of his career. Speaking on Louis Theroux’s podcast, the Australian said calling him an underachiever was crazy.

“Yeah, I’ve definitely heard about it my whole career (about underachievement). To say I haven’t been successful is crazy because I know what I’ve been through in my life and where I came from.”

“And just sitting in this room in Canberra, Australia, the fact that someone sat here and played in front of the royal family (in the 2022 Wimbledon Championships final) is not a disadvantage at all.”

Kyrgios argues that his response to negative moments and his ability to help and advise young fans should be considered a great achievement.

“What have I done in my career and what have I achieved as a person and how I recovered from all the negativity that I had to face and then went through it and turned it into a positive and to be able to help people now and I can to give advice to young guys, young fans, I look at that as the greatest achievement of any athlete that can give credit.”

Some may need more detail and nuance when discussing whether Kyrgios is an underachiever. His natural ability was undoubtedly good enough to achieve more in his career without taking into account any other factors.

At the same time, mental health issues off the court can take a toll on athletes. Kyrgios and others who have faced these challenges should not be taken for granted and can be factored into conversations about what Australians could achieve.