Nick Kyrgios is the man tennis needs

The enigma that is

From struggling to defeat an unseeded Brit in Paul Jubb to wiping the floor with the number-four seed Stefanos Tsitsipas in four sets. 

Nick Kyrgios is capable of anything and everything when he steps onto the tennis court. 

Kyrgios is the combustion of everything you want in an athlete and everything you do not want. 

Let’s focus on his tennis, first and foremost. 

The foundation for Wimbledon

Blessed with an enormous talent most players could only dream of, Kyrgios has blasted his way through 2022 and put doubles tennis back on the map with a stunning performance alongside close mate Thanasi Kokkinakis at the Australian Open. 

His performances this year have been strong at ATP 1000 Indian Wells, where Rafael Nadal defeated him in the quarter-finals, and he followed it up with a solid showing at ATP 1000 Miami. 

The grass courts have always been his favourite, and he has used Stuttgart, Halle and Mallorca to prepare for his big tilt at Wimbledon. 

The highs and lows, the peaks and troughs

His reckless nature was on show in the first round at the All England Club when he was taken to five sets by Jubb, much to the chagrin of the local crowd. 

A run-in with fans, a spitting accusation, and exchanges with the chair referee and linesman, combined with some freakish winners, made for an epic five-set victory for the 27-year-old Australian. 

But what Kyrgios did in this second round when his mind was on the job makes him so palpable to watch. 

It was a 90-minute blitz of Filip Krajinovic, who had probably never faced anything like it in his tennis career. 

Kyrgios smashed 25 aces and 50 winners on his way to a 6-2, 6-3, 6-1 triumph before encountering Tsitsipas. 

Tstisipas meets his match

There was no love lost in his third-round win over the highly-touted Greek. 

Both players mouthed off at each other, and Kyrgios then tried to get his counterpart disqualified for belting a ball into the crowd. 

Kyrgios would go on to win in four sets as he displayed his vast array of armoury capable of beating almost anyone. 

It was Kyrgios at his enigmatic best; winners, aces, swearing, banter, under-arm serves, ‘tweeners and the lot. 

Eight years on and history repeats

Back to the quarter-finals of Wimbledon, Nick Kyrgios goes. 

The big-hitting Australian looked a bit flat in the early proceedings of his fourth-round encounter against American Brandon Nakashima. 

But with his newfound mental edge and a steely resolve which only maturity and experience can bring, Kyrgios dug deep. 

In another five-set thriller, Kyrgios battled through a shoulder complaint to triumph 4-6, 6-4, 7-6, 3-6, 6-2. 

The press conference was probably a better performance than his form on the court. 

His cheeky grin was on show for all to see, and he looked the most relaxed we have seen him at a tournament.

The draw card to end all draw cards

We either take it or leave it as tennis fans or neutrals who only watch the grand slams. 

Whatever you decide, one thing is sure, people vote with their feet, bums and money. 

Kyrgios fills seats, and people pay to watch him. 

You take the good with the bad, but there is no denying his passion for the game and his care factor. 

King Kyrgios is here to stay.