Could it be rebel Nick Kyrgios’ Wimbledon?

It’s nearly impossible for Nick Kyrgios to go unnoticed. Be where you are, play where you play and go as it goes. In this Wimbledon 2022, without a doubt, his tennis is taking him very far. This is to be expected because his talent, his skill and his charm on this surface allow him to find many more moments of balance. On the grass of London his game feels safe, firm, convinced that he can prove to the world that he is capable of overthrowing those who usually reign once again. And this, in his rebellion, is one of his great motivations.

I would be encouraged to say that for Kyrgios, many times, it was more important to ruin the path of Nadal, Djokovic or Federer than to win a title. Because in that personality it seems more relevant to make news or do something different, which few can and, above all, few are encouraged. He likes, loves, facing those difficult situations.

You know, read and hear a lot about him. In fact, it has generated a certain division, which is clearly not fair. Those who stand up for their attitude and understand that emotional freedom of being and show themselves as they want to be and how they want to be are a minority. For some it is a value. For others it is simply a being who does not respect, who does not understand codes, rules and who tries, in the best of cases, to be at the limit.

Kyrgios doesn’t like to get in the way. He doesn’t like playing with the edge. He likes to play jokes and take risks. he likes to tease. And sometimes with his genius he caused just that. The problem is that this Australian player feels that, for being the villain of the film, many beat him, question him and even criticize him in attitudes where, being objective, he shouldn’t even be questioned. It is that if we could incorporate concepts from psychologists and neuroscientists – which, of course, could contribute much more than me – it would explain that many times our brain assembles an already predetermined image of characters like Kyrgios. And whatever you do, we will surely see it with good or bad eyes according to that image with which he was initially left with.

Kyrgios was questioned about elimination from below. Today it even ends up being cool and viral that others imitate that alternative. Kyrgios was branded as rude, a bad athlete and even a bad partner, disrespectful to the public. Just as an example I take the memory of michele chang a Ivan Lendl in the final of Roland Garros. In that case he was an asset, because he was cramped, to win the point, but since the image of the American was very good, no one attributed it to a bad gesture.

When he stopped near the service line to receive the serve, he was questioned as a totally arrogant, contemptuous stance towards his opponent, and when Federer did he was considered a great genius. And I point this out because it is my duty to be objective once again and understand that it is true that Kyrgios has been measured and criticized simply for doing it.

It is also true that Kyrgios, in a sense, he has earned a reputation that he himself sought, consciously or unconsciously. He has had very disrespectful attitudes towards the public, ways and ways of expressing himself that go beyond the fact that he is a public figure, an athlete, who obviously has more responsibility in terms of what he shows and what he can convey. .

I disagree with him in most of the things he has done. But I try to save that he had the courage to feel emotionally free to show himself as he is and that clearly took a toll on him. He too realized that this character made him go to a place where, in a moment of calm and tranquility, perhaps he would not have wanted to go. But he never regretted it. It’s like he’s put on that suit and gone out to approve, corroborate, justify.

Today the news also says that Kyrgios will face a trial, a legal problem with a former partner. A small problem that will force him to prove his innocence. Otherwise, many might say that Kyrgios is a bad example, unable to find a way to harmoniously relate to his surroundings and his environment.

What is clear is that Kyrgios never goes unnoticed. His talent means that, for now, this Wimbledon can continue to make headlines. Because let’s remember that Kyrgios, more than great achievements, what he likes best is ruining dreams.