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Australian Open 2017: Nick Kyrgios admits his problems are mental as well as physical

Linda Pearce
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A "banged-up" Nick Kyrgios has admitted his issues are mental as well as physical, while taking responsibility for an ill-advised approach to the off-season he believes contributed to a controversial Australian Open loss to Andreas Seppi.

Not for the first time, Kyrgios said it was time to hire a coach, having split with his most recent, Todd Larkham, more than 18 months ago. Also on high rotation is the admission that he does not take tennis seriously enough after going down 6-1, 7-6 (7-1), 4-6, 2-6, 8-10 on Wednesday night..

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Asked whether he attributed the defeat, his equal-earliest at Melbourne Park in four Opens, to his mental approach, or to the sore body and injured knee he carried into the tournament, Kyrgios said: "I think it's mental. Mental side of things are big for me. That's where a coach would be good. But obviously I wasn't physically 100 per cent. But it's mental, as well. A massive part of it."

Of the repeatedly self-inflicted wounds, the Canberran admitted: "That's how it's been my whole career really. I put my head down, want it. But things happen. It's just me not being able to be consistent, not really wanting it. Stuff like that happens."

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Kyrgios harangued members of his team, including fitness and conditioning expert Martin Skinner, during the three-hour circus he led by two-sets to love before losing focus in the middle of the third, all interest and intensity in the fourth, and 10-8 in the fifth.

Asked what he was complaining was about, Kyrgios said: "Poor management, I guess. I think I didn't have the best preparation. It's on me. Did a couple things in the off-season that I'm probably not going to do next time. It's on me, I guess. My body's not in good enough shape. You live and you learn."

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As to what, specifically, he would not do again: "I don't know, maybe just not play as much basketball. Actually take my pre-season seriously."

It was a similar refrain after last year's Wimbledon defeat to Andy Murray, when Kyrgios spoke of warming-up for the centre court contest by playing computer games. The 21-year-old has often said he does not love tennis, but a man of contradictions continues to be just that.

He was emotional when he spoke of his support team and their immediate post-match disappointment over his performance. "You know, it hurts. It hurts me to see them, they've got families, they're sacrificing their time trying to get me over the line. It's tough. It's tough."

Had he explained or apologised to them for his behaviour? "I think there's a lot of players on tour in the heat of the moment sort of argue or give bad words to their box or anything. But they understand. They know that I love them. It's all that matters really."

Yet, earlier, he had flippantly, if unconvincingly, described the strange encounter as "ultimately a pretty fun match" and also declared: "I'm Ok. Like, I'm all right. You know, the world keeps spinning. I lost one match."

Some among the capacity crowd on his favourite court, Hisense Arena, that had supported Kyrgios so warmly earlier ended up booing him from the court. "Obviously it's not the greatest thing to hear. I didn't have the best preparation coming into the Australian Open. Pretty banged up, my body. You know, I don't even know what the score was in the end. Was it 10-8? 10-8 in the fifth, getting booed off, definitely not the best feeling."

He said he was unlikely to play Thursday's doubles match as scheduled with Brit Dan Evans, and had not thought about Australia's imminent Davis Cup tie against the Czech Republic at Kooyong. The national No.1 said it was "far too soon" to have considered his availability.

"I hope I can play, though. I love playing for 'Rusty' (captain Lleyton Hewitt). He's always been there for me. Hopefully I can play, but we'll see. There's a lot of good players at the moment who can fill in for my spot and maybe do a better job."

As for a coach, Kyrgios says that "is always a question mark for me. I think that's one area where I obviously need to start taking a bit more seriously. I mean, I don't think there's anyone in the top 100 without a coach except for me. That needs to change. Got to start taking it more seriously. Pre-season is an important part of the year. You build foundations for the rest of the year. Yeah, it's on me."

He has, he said, resisted what he has been aware for "a long time" would be in his best interests, while declining to comment on potential candidates. "I kind of like the freedom of just going out there, doing whatever, going with the flow a little bit. I just like being comfortable."

Perhaps the most amusing moment in a crazy night came when Kyrgios was asked whether he was still consulting a sports psychologist. "I am. It's going very well." The ironic eye roll that followed said everything. Except that, by then, there was really nothing much more for anyone to say.

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