By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Friday, December 1, 2023
Andy Murray is not only a long-time friend of Nick Kyrgios—he helped the Aussie get on the road to mental health recovery.
Murray offered support and sounded the alarm when the Aussie was in the throes of depression, Kyrgios revealed.
In an interview with Piers Morgan Uncensored this week, Kyrgios said he's "very thankful" to former world No. 1 Murray for offering aid during his mental health struggles and detecting the 2022 Wimbledon finalist was self-harming.
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"Andy was always a big supporter of me," Kyrgios told Piers Morgan during his Uncensored interview on Talk TV. "As soon as I came on the tour, he kind of saw a work-in-progress and took me under his wing.
"Then he realized later in my career that I don't think I was coachable or I was on my own path, but he was always someone that was looking out for me."
Kyrgios, who revealed he "genuinely contemplated suicide" and spent time in psychiatric treatment, said he's grateful Murray noticed the signs of self harm on his arm, asked the Aussie about it and alerted the Aussie's manager, John Morris, to the issue, according to The Times.
"[Murray] saw it [the self-harm] and he said, 'What's that on your arm?' It was pretty bad at that stage," Kyrgios said. "Andy obviously was trying to give me advice on it. But I was just so stuck in my ways at that time that I didn't listen. Obviously I'm very thankful. I thank him a lot."
The 2022 Australian Open doubles champion said his depression deepened to the point "I hated myself. I hated waking up and being Nick Kyrgios."
"I think it was all a year-and-a-half to two years of just complete harm," Kyrgios told Piers Morgan. "It was pretty dark to be honest."
From those dark days, Kyrgios said he's made major mental health strides working with a therapist and receiving strong support from his family, friends and girlfriend.
These days, Kyrgios said he feels he's "completely turned" his life around and has a positive perspective on his future.
Asked why he relates well to Murray, Kyrgios cited the Scot's humor and humility.
"He's a normal person," Kyrgios said of Murray. "When I hung out with him, he was funny. Didn't take himself too seriously. Every time I hung around him, I felt comfortable around him all the time.
"He kind of felt like he was, like, 20. He was a little bit immature at times. He was so friendly, humble, down-to-earth. Just a normal guy."
Photo credit: Clive Brunskill/Getty