Rivard: We need to talk about Nick

Final week, a name on social media for the circus to do away with its clown caught my consideration. It didn’t take me very lengthy to grasp who the poster was referring to. 

The truth that I used to be watching Nick Kyrgios versus Stefanos Tsitsipas, the second seed on the Halle Open, made all of it that a lot simpler to infer. Particularly since, as is commonly the case, Kyrgios was being Kyrgios. Not by way of his recreation however by way of his behaviour, which continues to crimp his unbelievable potential. 

And but…

The phrases circus and clown and their clearly unfavourable connotation are sometimes utilized by those that abhor Nick’s perspective. And lots of people do.  

Nick Kyrgios is polarizing. There are the pro-Kyrgios and the anti-Kyrgios camps. 

Amongst laypeople and fanatics, some, myself included, take pleasure in his tennis. 

Others can’t stand watching him disregard the game’s guidelines of conduct or tolerate his recurring temper swings and inclination to surrender when he will get too distracted. 

And but, each time we expect he’s misplaced to obscurity, the massive child will get again within the recreation. Actually and metaphorically. 

After dropping to Daniil Medvedev early on on the AO, Nick fell to No.137. However then he gained 16 of his final 21 matches and soared to No.45 after back-to-back German semis (Stuttgart and Halle). That’s 92 rating factors.

He knocked over the likes of Casper Ruud, Andrey Rublev, Tommy Paul, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Pablo Carreno Busta alongside the best way. 

Rockets have been flying in his semi in Halle in opposition to Hubert Hurkacz. There have been 57 aces (30 for Nick) and a few mind-blowing rallies. In his two earlier matches, Kyrgios hit the huge photographs he’s identified for and even trotted out a behind-the-back half-volley, a tweener and an underarm serve.   

Tennis’ unhealthy boy made the present well worth the ticket worth. 

And just like the misunderstood expertise he’s, he’s capable of captivate any fan with a couple of photographs, a smile right here and there and a few decisive wins. 

Even those that are weary of his Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde act.

There have been numerous articles on the 27-year-old’s potential. There are are also miles and miles of textual content on his unbearable behaviour, incapacity to comply with the foundations of a standard sport, tendency to destroy a match and all of the enjoyable within the course of, must attempt not possible photographs for himself and the group, et cetera.  

I wouldn’t be shocked if Nicholas Hilmy Kyrgios have been a thesis matter in psychology departments all over the world. You should admit it’s an amusing concept that isn’t completely far-fetched. 

If he can keep involved in aggressive tennis, he may very well be round for a number of extra years and even sneak again into the Prime 20 or Prime 15. 

I’ve all the time stated it loud, clear and in caps: TOO MUCH TALENT IN ONE PERSON. 

The minute he’s accomplished with the ATP, he’ll be flooded with invites to all kinds of exhibition matches. 

On the threat of being sneered and jeered at by purists, I’m satisfied that Nick Kyrgios is sweet for tennis, even along with his darkish aspect. 

He’s an artist whose expertise is just about limitless. And like many artists, he’s a free spirit. 

And his personal worst enemy.

Félix serves up some stable tennis

Over time, Félix Auger-Aliassime has been perfecting his recreation and his consistency particularly.  

Whereas he’s acknowledged as one of the crucial methodical, most athletic and quickest gamers within the males’s recreation, he’s positively added energy and accuracy to his serve over the previous 18 months.

In 2021, Félix ended the season at No.9 total and within the race for aces, with a median of 9 per match. Actually, you’ll be able to’t make this up. 

He’s presently no.4 and heading in direction of a median of 10 aces per match. With 45 matches performed (that’s 17 fewer than final yr), he appears on observe to raised his whole, if he can keep wholesome. He’s solely 113 away. 

Listed below are these rankings forward of the ultimate lead-ins earlier than Wimbledon, which is a best-of-five occasion at which he ought to be capable of rack up extra aces if he can play his approach into week two. 

Aces leaderboard (June 20, 2022) 

Residence invasion

It may be amusing when it occurs, however it actually isn’t humorous. 

As if the knife assault on Monica Seles almost 30 years in the past hadn’t taught us a sufficiently regarding lesson, lax stadium safety may sooner or later result in damage or worse. 

There was a disturbing uptick within the variety of incursions onto skilled tennis courts of late.

Only a few weeks after an identical incident at Roland-Garros, the most recent episode occurred through the last in Halle, when an eco-protester tried to tie herself to the online (a brand new pattern) to present onlookers the possibility to learn her message concerning the local weather emergency: three years left. 

The incident occurred as Hubert Hurkacz was main 5-0 within the opening set in opposition to Daniil Medvedev. Watch it right here, round 0:25. 

Seventeen days earlier, simply as Casper Ruud was about to serve within the third in opposition to Marin Cilic on Court docket Philippe-Chatrier at Roland-Garros, an eco-protester tied her neck to the online. Her message: We have now 1028 days left.

Be aware the seconds that go by earlier than all the safety guards turn out to be conscious of her presence and at last react. Worrying and nearly embarrassing.

This video filmed by somebody within the stands reveals the varied levels of dealing with the issue earlier than the offender is lastly ejected. 

Paris appears to be a magnet for this sort of prevalence. In 2009, a Spanish fan managed to run as much as Roger Federer. Nothing unhealthy occurred, however he definitely may have been injured if the trespasser’s intentions had been extra hostile. 

4 years later, Fed’s everlasting rival and pal Rafael Nadal discovered himself in an identical state of affairs on the exact same court docket.

The worst second in tennis occurred when then World No.1 Monica Seles was stabbed on court docket.

Main 6-4, 4-3 in her quarterfinal showdown with Magdalena Maleeva of Bulgaria in Hamburg, Seles had simply sat down when Günter Parche, an unemployed employee, jumped out of the stands and plunged a knife into her again.  

Fueled by his obsession with Steffi Graf, Parche wished his idol to take again the No.1 rating, which she did 5 weeks later. 

The assault left Seles with solely a superficial scar however plunged her right into a deep melancholy from which it took her 28 months to emerge. 

So far as court docket invasions go, lots of people crack a smile after they recall the incident on the 1996 Wimbledon last. As Richard Krajicek and MaliVai Washington have been posing for the official picture earlier than their match, a streaker burst onto the court docket. 

There have been no shouts of “surprising!”, the cliché typically attributed to the British, however fairly smiles of amusement on the faces of most individuals within the stadium, together with the 2 finalists and even the Duke and Duchess of Kent.

It was definitely essentially the most comical and least dramatic of the on-court disruptions. No issues have been raised and Melissa Johnson, a 23-year-old waitress, received what she wished. She impressed her mates and gained her guess.

Electronic mail: privard@tenniscanada.com

Twitter: @paul6rivard

Observe all our Canadians in motion here.