Former World No.1 Pat Rafter is in no doubt Nick Kyrgios has the skill to win the Australian Open but it depends on the frame of mind the “enigma” that is the World No.22 takes to Melbourne Park.
“The talent’s there, we’ve always known it, it’s up to him,” Rafter said when asked if Kyrgios was primed for a strong showing at the Australian Open this summer.
“We always said that but you need the whole package as well.
“Obviously talent-wise, in terms of how you play the game, yes (he can win the tournament).
“But the game is complicated, it has a lot of other things. You have to be really fit, you have to be in a good frame of mind, all those type of things need to work.
“He’s a bit of an enigma, I guess. It’s always hard to know with him how he’s going to go but he’s got the talent.”
Rafter “imagined” Kyrgios’s run to the Wimbledon final would have bolstered confidence he could get through to the business end of a grand slam.
But he said the Australian Open in summer was a different beast to the grass in London.
“Grass is really a fair bit easier on your body as well,” said Rafter, who made the final twice at the All England club.
“I never felt like Wimbledon was going to be physically that demanding.
“The French, US, Australian Open – hot, hard and a lot of long matches and long points – so that’s where it’s all at.”
Rafter was reticent to be drawn much further on Kyrgios, in part because he has no role or contact with the Kyrgios camp, but also because the two-time grand slam champion is well aware of how quickly any comment he makes will consume the headlines and likely draw a rebuke from the Canberran.
Certainly he wasn’t willing to comment on his on-court behaviour.
Back at Brisbane’s Pat Rafter Arena on Monday, the two-time grand slam winner was keen to talk about the return of international tennis to the venue for the first time since 2019.
But he understood the interest in Kyrgios, who said over the weekend he was looking forward to kickstarting his Aussie summer campaign in the United Cup, where Australia will play their pool stages – and hopefully finals – in Sydney.
Kyrgios’s part in the United Cup is a boon for Tennis Australia but an about-face after years of refusing to play Davis Cup.
It’s an attitude that seems anathema to Rafter.
While he would not go so far as to say Kyrgios would have made the difference to Australia in their recent Davis Cup final, or declare the 27-year-old should play, he was clear what playing in the green and gold meant to him.
“Would have, should have, could have. I mean, in terms of playing events, it’s about do you want to get involved?” Rafter said.
“And some players do, some players don’t. I don’t know exactly what goes through their mind except that I know that representing my country was the highlight.
“Obviously you have Lleyton in there running the show and all our generation, we wanted to be there and play and we loved it.
“Some people don’t like doing it though.”
Kyrgios has instead played exhibitions in Saudi Arabia and Dubai, where he is earning six-figure appearance fees and his recent comments have included being involved in a Twitter exchange with former Aussie doubles champ Rennae Stubbs about Pickleball and showing up in the trailer for Netflix’s fly-on-the-wall tennis series.
“It’s just sensationalism, everyone wants to write a story about something,” Rafter said, refusing to bite on either subject.
“He definitely takes the headlines. He wants it – that’s the way he rolls.”
Kyrgios’s perception he is under-appreciated in Australia could change with his United Cup appearance.
“I guess that’s up to him. He’ll have to work out how he goes about all that, I don’t really know what goes on with him so I just sort of sit back and watch it,” Rafter said.
“I don’t know about you guys but I just sit back and have a look at it and see what comes out and have a bit of a laugh because I’m not involved anymore.
“I don’t need to be. I just enjoy sitting back now and not having to say or do anything.”
Originally published as Australian Open tennis news 2023: Pat Rafter on Nick Kyrgios’ title hopes and what it takes to win