I do what I want, says Aussie rule-breaker I want, says Aussie rule-breaker

NICK KYRGIOS told Wimbledon’s rule makers: ‘I do what I want’ after flouting their all-white dress code before and after his fourth-round victory over Brandon Nakashima. The Australian walked on to Centre Court wearing red trainers, then changed into them again, along with a red cap, once he had completed his five-set win against the American. Kyrgios has already been fined twice this tournament and is now likely to receive another ticking off for breaching rules which state white must be worn ‘from the point at which the player enters the court surround’. But asked about his latest transgression, the defiant world No 40 said: ‘I do what I want. I’m not above the rules, I just like wearing my Jordans (trainers).

‘It’s more attention for me. What’s that saying? Any publicity is good publicity, right? I sit here now in the quarter-finals of Wimbledon again and I just know there’s so many people that are so upset. It’s a good feeling.’ On the court, Kyrgios was more subdued than in Saturday’s fiery clash with Stefanos Tsitsipas, when he berated the umpire for not defaulting his Greek opponent after hitting a ball into the crowd. The 27-year-old will meet unseeded Chilean Cristian Garin tomorrow in his first Wimbledon quarter-final since his debut here as a 19-year-old in 2014, when he famously knocked out then world No1 Rafael Nadal in the fourth round. Despite the controversy that has followed Kyrgios in recent days, the Australian believes he has come ‘a long way’ since the ‘darkest period’ of his life in 2019, when he battled depression and alcohol and drug abuse. That year, Kyrgios was spotted in Wimbledon’s Dog and Fox pub the night before he played Nadal in the second round on Centre, a match he lost in four sets. ‘There was a time where I was having to be forced out of a pub at 4am to play Nadal second round,’ he said. ‘My agent had to come get me out before I played my match on Centre Court. ‘I’ve come a long way. I’ve just got so many people around me, they just support me. I feel like I can reflect on all those dark times when I pushed them all away. ‘Now, to sit here quarter-finals of Wimbledon, feeling good, feeling composed, feeling mature, having that around me, I’m extremely blessed.’ Kyrgios, who has never reached the semi-finals of a Grand Slam, would meet Nadal again in the last four if they both win their quarter-finals. And he has played down fears his Wimbledon chances will be derailed by a shoulder injury, which required medical attention during the third set against 20-year-old Nakashima. ‘I woke up after Tsitsipas and had some shoulder pain,’ he explained. ‘Mentally, I feel like I just deal with these things a lot better now. But I need a glass of wine tonight, for sure.’