Unfit and overweight, the Australian Open junior boys’ title seemed like a distant dream a year ago for Canberra teen Nick Kyrgios.
But a change in mindset and a lift in training resulted in the 17-year-old joining the likes of Bernard Tomic and Luke Saville as Australia’s latest junior grand slam champion.
In an all-Australian final, Kyrgios overcame his good friend and doubles partner Thanasi Kokkinakis 7-6 (7-4) 6-3.
It was revealed post-match that Adelaide 16-year-old Kokkinakis almost pulled out of the final after scans on Friday night revealed stress fractures in his back.
While Kokkinakis battled bravely and had three set points in the first set, Kyrgios was a class above, living up to his ranking as the world No.1 junior and comparisons with former Australian star Mark Philippoussis.
Kyrgios said he performed below expectations at the tournament last year which prompted him to join the Australian Institute of Sport program which resulted in a five kilo loss.
“I always had that ball-striking there but I knew I had to work hard and shed a bit of weight and obviously it’s been paying off,” said Kyrgios, who has a Greek father Christos and Malaysian mother Norlaila.
“I still love my food, I’m just training a bit harder.”
Kyrgios saved three set points in the first set and pushed the set into a tie-break against Kokkinakis.
There he took a 5-1 lead before Kokkinakis clawed his way back to 5-4 with the No.3 seed then lifting to take the set.
With his booming serve regularly topping the 200km/hr mark, Kyrgios got an early break in the second set to lead 4-1 and clinched the championship with an ace.
“I’m pretty stoked with the last two weeks I’ve had winning the lead-up tournament and now the Australian Open.
“It’s great start on the year,” he said.
Kyrgios said he knew of the injury to his rival but had to put it out of his mind for the contest.
Kokkinakis suffered similar injury in 2011 and wasn’t able to pick up a racquet for around three months and play competitively for seven.
Kokkinakis had a dream month; called into the US Hopman Cup team as an injury replacement for John Isner and then just missing qualifying for the men’s draw at Melbourne Park.
He had never previously won a match at a junior grand slam.
