'Nick Kyrgios not a villain at all' - Mats Wilander praises 'emotional' Australian after Wimbledon antics
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Published 29/06/2022 at 13:12 GMT
Mats Wilander says he "loves seeing Nick Kyrgios really focused" as the Australian secured his place in the Wimbledon second round with a five-set win over Britain's Paul Jubb. Wilander believes Kyrgios - who he labelled as "one of the best players in the world" - can one day land a significant singles title if he continues to remain focused.
'He's not a villain at all, I'm glad he's here' - Wilander on Kyrgios antics at Wimbledon
Nick Kyrgios can land a big title if he keeps focusing on his tennis, according to Eurosport's Mats Wilander.
Kyrgios advanced to the second round of Wimbledon on Tuesday after seeing off Britain's Paul Jubb in five sets, but the encounter was littered with controversy with Kyrgios admitting he had spat at a fan, whilst also getting into an argument with a line judge.
Wilander nonetheless thought that - as has not always been the case in his career - Kyrgios was at least invested in the outcome of the match, and that if the Australian can continue to show that desire, then success may follow.
"My take on Nick Kyrgios is that I am happy that he is here," Wilander said.
"I am happy that he wins five-set matches; that he is trying that hard.
"To me, he looked really good [against Jubb]. Of course, he played a Brit, so obviously the crowd is going to be a little bit louder and be cheering for the Brit than Kyrgios. It was an emotional game, and I love seeing Kyrgios really focused.
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“I don’t think he is a villain at all. I really enjoy watching him play. When he tries hard, he is one of the best players in the world; most probably he still has his best tennis ahead of him.
"I still feel that he has a big shot at winning a big tournament, especially on the grass at Wimbledon. I don’t think he’s a villain; I think he’s a really nice guy and he is entertaining the crowd.
“I think it [the antics] is just him; some players get upset, some players get nervous.
"I’m not sure what he’s feeling on the inside, but he cares about winning tennis matches and I think that is why he is so emotional at times, but it is fun to watch, and he is a crowd favourite wherever he goes.”
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Watch daily highlights from Wimbledon at 10pm on Eurosport 2 and discovery+ from June 27, as well as the two singles finals live on July 9 and 10.
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