Nick Kyrgios reveals there were times when he would withdraw from a tournament just so he could spend more time in his room and enjoy his gaming passion.
From the early days of his career, the Australian never hid that basketball was his first and bigger love but that he was pushed into tennis because he was considered a much bigger talent there. Also, he often spoke about his love for gaming.
During the ongoing Esports World Cup in Riyadh, Kyrgios made an appearance. There, the 30-year-old made a candid revelation.
"I think my passion was basketball and gaming, and I was thrown into a sport where tennis is very clean cut. I'm very rough around the edges, and I didn't really fit the mould for a tennis player. I really struggled with that early in my career. Now I'm embracing it, and I'm glad I'm able to put on a show," the 2022 Wimbledon finalist said at the Esports World Cup.
Kyrgios once revealed during a match that he played FIFA until 3AM
In the 2019 Queen's Club first round, the Australian tennis star took a tight opener against Roberto Carballes Baena. As he was closing in on a two-set win, he hit one poor shot. After that, he muttered to himself a couple of words which made the headlines.
“So lazy, do something, so lazy you are. You were playing FIFA until 3AM, what do you expect?” he muttered at the time.
Meanwhile, Kyrgios has had a rough last couple of years when it comes to his pro career. Since having surgeries on his wrist and knee, he has barely played. This year, he returned at the start of the season but has made only four singles appearances since then.
However, in recent years, the 30-year-old also got into tennis broadcasting and he hosts his podcast titled Good Trouble with Nick Kyrgios.
