It’s winner winner, no chicken dinner
BY his own admission, Nick Kyrgios was fat and “eating KFC every day” until David Ferrer offered some words of wisdom that changed his career path.
Ferrer and his former coach Javier Piles went out of their way in New York in 2013 to provide Kyrgios and his then coach Simon Rea with a pathway to becoming a better player.
“I played him (Ferrer) when I qualified for the US Open, and I think his coach met up with my coach,” said Kyrgios.
“They kind of wrote down on a big sheet of paper what I had to improve on,
“One of the things I know I’ll never forget on the sheet was ‘Learn to suffer’.
“That’s what David Ferrer said to Nick Kyrgios when I was eating KFC every day, pretty fat, not a great athlete.
‘‘I was like ‘I don’t know, this guy is crazy’.
“Yeah, that’s one thing I did remember from the big sheet. Yeah, he’s always been a really kind guy to me.”
The Spaniard’s advice came back to haunt him as Kyrgios speared into his first ATP World Tour Masters 1000 final.
Kyrgios earnt a crack at Grigor Dimitrov with another incredibly clean serving display, intent on becoming Australia’s first Masters series champion since Lleyton Hewitt at Indian Wells in 2003.
Kyrgios has been hot in Cincinnati, overwhelming Ivo Karlovic, incoming world No.1 Rafael Nadal and Ferrer in successive matches.
With 14 aces and five double faults, Kyrgios claimed 90 per cent of first serve points.
He was lethal off the ground with 21 winners against the man whose tenacity earned him the moniker ‘‘Little Beast’’.
“Yeah, he was a nightmare to play, especially because I’m a tall guy and he’s not the tallest guy,” Kyrgios said.
“He hits the ball pretty flat. ‘‘You know, the whole time there is nothing shoulder height for me to hit.
‘‘I’m always trying to underneath and trying to up and over it.
“It’s a tough match-up for me. I thought today I didn’t play my best tennis. In the tiebreaks I served well, but I definitely didn’t bring my best tennis today. I’m just really proud that I managed to scrap out the win.’’
Kyrgios, 22, is the first Australian Masters finalist since Hewitt lost to Swiss star Roger Federer at Indian Wells in 2005.
Dimitrov edged John Isner 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (12-10) in a tense semi-final.
A Wimbledon and Australian Open semi-finalist, Dimitrov has excelled in Cincinnati, not dropping a set on the way to his 12th ATP World Tour final and third of the year.
The right-hander won titles in Brisbane and Sofia to open his 2017 campaign.
“I think it’s a good Dimitrov said.
“I have been on the tour for quite some time now, and I appreciate those moments.
‘‘I’m starting to appreciate them even more.
“Being able to compete at a final, it’s always a great feeling. No matter Masters 1000 or 250, it’s always something that you work for. It all comes down to that.”
Dimitrov has a 1-0 edge over Kyrgios, who will rise four rankings places to No.17. hit hit step,”