Time to lay off Aussie enigma

IT’S time we all laid off Nick Kyrgios. We need a new approach.

Every year it’s the same thing. Hopes and expectations are piled up and then it all comes crashing down when he doesn’t meet them.

Australia hasn’t had a male grand slam champion since Lleyton Hewitt in 2001. We have always had someone at the top. We’re accustomed to it and we don’t cope well when that’s not the case.

Look at the Australian cricket and rugby teams; they’re getting smashed because they’re not playing the best. Australia demands that we are always at the top of our game and right now we just don’t have that in men’s tennis.

So in the absence of a champion story, we have developed an obsession with piling expectations on the next best thing whether they’re ready for it or not.

Nick beat the top four at a young age and now – in the public’s eyes must win everything, behave perfectly and always do the right thing.

He’s shown time and time again that it’s not going to happen, that he’s doing things his way and that isn’t going to change.

We want him to win so badly but it’s time we asked what he might want.

Right now he is buckling under the weight of expectation thrust upon him at age 18 by an audience which, for the most part, are tennis fans for two weeks of the year. Expecting the world and then outraged when it doesn’t happen.

Those that follow tennis year around will see the good Nick does elsewhere.

Sadly, the majority will only hear about what people think he has done wrong. Nick stepping out of line seems to get the public’s attention more than anything.

He’s been dealing with this for at least five years and to be honest I don’t know how he does it.

It’s now become something of a lose-lose situation for him.

The drama makes him a big-ticket item and therefore a pay cheque. Nick Kyrgios is a tennis player and also a business. He’s just released a shoe design with one of the NBA’S biggest names – Kyrie Irving.

He is a global brand with a huge audience so of course every tournament wants him to play.

He fills stadiums, sells merchandise and commands blockbuster TV slots.

We can’t keep building him up and then crucifying him if our expectations aren’t met.

So let’s start by laying off Nick, take the pressure off and show some compassion. Maybe if we get around him he could go on to be the champion we hope he can be.

When I played with him at Davis Cup level he thrived on the team environment but in the regular season we have to remember he is playing for himself not Australia.