Australian Open 2020 news - Mats Wilander: 'Mature' Nick Kyrgios is a threat to anyone

Seven-time Grand Slam champion Wilander, speaking in the Eurosport studio on Game, Schett and Mats, said Kyrgios had a "huge heart" and would benefit from being tested in his four-set win over Gilles Simon.

Kyrgios looked set for a routine three-set victory, only to suffer an untimely wobble that allowed the Frenchman to pinch the third set and flip the match on its head.

However, the Aussie recovered to come through 6-2 6-4 4-6 7-5 and stay on course for a fourth-round meeting with Rafael Nadal.

"Obviously Nick Kyrgios has a huge heart and he spends a lot of time with his NK Foundation in Australia and trying to help underprivileged kids get to the tennis court," Wilander said on Eurosport.

"He must feel proud to be a role model for all these kids and it’s something he feels he has to live up to on the tennis court, especially in Australia.

"But if you go back, he’s been pretty good in Australia when he’s had some matches. It’s abroad where he’s had some problems.

"I think he’s going to mature more and the matches he’s played here? Very mature performances. He looks good, he looks fit, he obviously serves well and he’s a massive threat to anyone."

While Kyrgios has cut a far more composed figure in Melbourne this year, he briefly threatened to unravel after losing the third set.

Suddenly from a position of authority, he started berating his box for telling him to "stay tough" – sarcastically praising them for their "creative" encouragement.

But where he may have previously unravelled, the wobble lasted just a few games. A fervent home crowd kept him focused as he survived some early scares to stay level in the fourth set, before he secured the decisive break in the 11th game.

Kyrgios also found time to display some amusing antics too. A rare time violation prompted him to chunter at the umpire and mimic Nadal’s serve routine, with even the official caught chuckling at the impression, before Simon followed suit later in the match.

"It was a very funny moment," Wilander added. "You just wonder how Rafael Nadal will feel when he sees that…

"It was a great match – or it turned into a great match once Simon came back. It’s most probably going to help Nick Kyrgios for the next round and the round after that because he got tested."