Former world No.1 John McEnroe admits he’d love to coach Nick Kyrgios but is warning fans to strap themselves in for another “unpredictable” Wimbledon rollercoaster ride from tennis’s most mercurial performer.
Kyrgios launches his title quest on Monday against Pierre-Hugues Herbert having never failed to progress to at least the fourth round at the All England Club.
But the walking headline has arrived under an injury cloud this year, declaring himself only “60, 65 per cent” fit as he battles an ongoing hip complaint.
“His best chance of winning something big would be there, but I don’t know if mentally he’s ready yet. Everything’s there but I’m not quite sure,” said three-time Wimbledon winner McEnroe.
“He’s been injured too … that’s a pretty unknown quantity.”
After years of trading barbs, Kyrgios last month said “he’s dreaming” after McEnroe first expressed an interest in mentoring the wildly gifted 22-year-old.
But the snub hasn’t deterred the brash New Yorker.
“This guy has the most talent to me – out and out tennis talent and physical attributes – since anyone out there,” McEnroe said.
“So I’m sure there’s a lot of people out there that would want to get their hands on him because he could be the best player in the world.
“But ultimately he’d have to be willing to listen and also think that it would be a good thing, that he would benefit from it.
“But any time you get a player of that level of ability, you’d be interested to try to work with him, yes.”
A two-time grand slam quarter-finalist by 20, Kyrgios has yet to reach a major semi and that worries McEnroe, who, despite his doubts, considers the Canberran a box office draw for the sport.
“He hasn’t been able to put it all together and I get concerned,” McEnroe said.
“But I think it would be a great boost for the game if someone who’s got a real personality and brings in not just tennis fans, but maybe people who were just sports fans who might be interested in seeing him.
“He’s got something. He attracts attention and people want to see him.”
Ultimately, McEnroe wants to see Kyrgios deliver on one of tennis’s biggest stages.
“Talent is also effort and talent’s also mental strength,” he said.
“It’s not just how well you hit the ball, or how well you serve or how well you move on the court. It’s a combination of things.
“I’m just hoping and praying, me personally, because I’ve seen evidence at times that he doesn’t like it, doesn’t seem to want to embrace it – the competition – or he hasn’t prepared himself well enough and if that’s caused some of this (injury), I don’t know.”
AUSSIES IN ACTION ON DAY TWO OF WIMBLEDON ON TUESDAY (prefix denotes seeding):
Men’s singles, first round
Berrnard Tomic v 27-Mischa Zverev (GER)
Jordan Thompson v 25-Albert Ramos Vinolas (ESP)
Thanasi Kokkinakis v 29-Juan Martin del Potro (ARG)
Women’s singles, second round
20-Daria Gavrilova v Petra Martic (CRO)
Arina Rodionova v 16-Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS)