Everyone says Nick Kyrgios needs a coach but the man who guided Lleyton Hewitt and Andre Agassi to the No.1 ranking believes he can survive without one.
Darren Cahill coached Hewitt when he became the youngest world No.1 and Agassi when the American completed the opposite as the oldest man to conquer the tennis rankings.
Kyrgios won three titles last year despite being the only top-100 player without a coach, but after a second-round capitulation at the Australian Open the 21-year-old conceded he needed a mentor.
However, Cahill suggested a coach would only benefit Kyrgios if he genuinely wanted one and the Canberran is good enough to go it alone.
"It sounds like he's starting to search for a coach, that would be a good thing if he's a ready to take one on, but if not his game is not in a bad spot, his game is great really," Cahill said.
"We've seen his talent and when he's a fit and healthy and mentally strong he can match it with anyone in the world."
Cahill knows Kyrgios won't become world No.1 overnight but said the 21-year-old is now heading in the right direction.
"With Nick it sounds like he's making some good decisions, he's taken on a strength and conditioning trainer but it's going to take some time," Cahill said.
"Part of the reason we don't see a lot of the teenagers breaking through and winning majors anymore is because the game has become a lot more physical, which Nick is starting to invest in.
"But it doesn't happen in six months, it takes two or three years of consistent work and if Nick commits he will get great benefits out it.
"At the moment I think be patient with him and over the next two or three years, if he does the work off the court we'll definitely see more consistent results from him."
Wally Masur joined the chorus of those who believes tennis' badboy can rise to world No.1 - but only if he wants it.
The former world No.15 said the current world No.15 has the game to become the best in the business, but whether Kyrgios gets there will depend on how he handles his game off the court.
"It's been a long time since I've seen someone who is able to completely shut opposition out of the game like Nick can," Masur said.
"The sky's the limit for him, there's no doubt about it, but the hard thing about tennis sometimes is that it's not just the tennis, it's all the stuff that goes with it.
"There's a lot of expectation, a lot of media, a lot of travel, a lot of pressure and there has been a lot of focus on Nick especially being one of the brightest prospects in the game.
"His world changed overnight when he beat Nadal at Wimbledon that year [2014] and I think he's still coming to terms with how meteoric that rise has been."
Masur believes Kyrgios does need a coach if he wants to climb into top spot on the rankings.
"His year last year was pretty good, three wins and finishing world no.13, that's pretty good for a 21-year-old and I think his year will be pretty good again, his game is too big to deny," Masur said.
"Lleyton [Hewitt] told me the other day Nick is speaking to a few people [coaches] and that he's keen to make that next step and see where it takes him on his journey.
"Can he get to No.1? I think with the right person in his corner, certainly."
Kyrgios famously revealed in 2015 he does not love the game, but Masur hinted the Canberran may be drawing a long bow with the statement.
"I can't speak for Nick but I've got a sneaky feeling he doesn't mind the sport, for someone [who says he doesn't love it], he seems to play quite a bit and he's pretty good at it," Masur said.
Masur and Cahill joined fellow former Australian player John Fitzgerald at Canberra's 2017 P2 Invitational fundraiser on Thursday.
The event raised more than $121,000 which will be donated to Canberra charities AFFIRM and the Stella Bella Little Stars Foundation.