By Tennis Now | Monday, June 8, 2020
"[Hiring a coach] is a little bit of a waste of money ‘cause I think they get paid way too much,” Kyrgios told his friend Elliot Loney. “And, for me, I don’t have a goal of winning Grand Slams."
Photo credit: Mark Peterson/Corleve
Nick Kyrgios confesses no major aspirations and concedes it's "pointless" for him to hire a coach because his career "is just too far gone" and he wouldn't listen anyway.
A candid Kyrgios opened up to his friend, comedian and actor Elliot Loney on his recent podcast, admitting he thinks coaches are overpaid—and that he feels he's beyond help at this stage of his career.
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“Personally, I think (hiring a coach) is a little bit of a waste of money ‘cause I think they get paid way too much,” Kyrgios told Loney during the podcast. “And, for me, I don’t have a goal of winning Grand Slams. I just want to do it my way, have fun with it and just play.
“So to get a coach for me is pointless because I don’t want to waste their time almost.
“I just don’t think a coach is ready—and I’m not going to put them through it too ‘cause it would just be a nightmare. Where I’m at my career now, it’s just too far gone, I think for a coach, ‘cause I’m too set in my ways and I just don’t like to listen to advice, to be honest."
Hall of Famer John McEnroe, who has captained Kyrgios in Laver Cup, calls the explosive Aussie the most talented player he's seen in a decade, but says Kyrgios lacks the discipline and desire necessary to master a major.
"Nick to me is the most talented tennis player of the last 10 years I've seen, since Djokovic, Murray, Nadal, Federer," McEnroe told Tennis Now in a past interview. "He's an incredible talent. As far as mentally, I haven't been around him much. I haven't seen much of him. I've tried to reach out to him. I haven't spoken to him."
The 25-year-old Kyrgios suggests two reasons why he won't win a Grand Slam: he doesn't have the deep desire to do it and doesn't believe his body can endure seven best-of-five-set matches over the course of two weeks.
“I don’t believe my body will hold up for seven matches at a Grand Slam, potentially playing three to four hours (per match),” Kyrgios said. “If I could, I’d just be on the beers every time I play—
afterwards.
"I just want to chill out. I just think the sport’s taken a bit too seriously."