Breaking misconceptions about Nick Kyrgios – why he can’t win when it gets tough

[Fliiix]

I'd just like to clear things up and see if anyone agrees, and why not. Read everything here: https://impactingtennis.com/2018/09...k-kyrgios-why-he-cant-win-when-it-gets-tough/

The match between Nick Kyrgios and Roger Federer in the third round of the US Open 2018, was a reminder of why Kyrgios has never won anything significant. He plays his best tennis, when he doesn't think that much, is relaxed and is mixing it up with trick shots, drop shots, heavy spins, flat shots and so on. But when things get tough, and to quote Eminem: »His palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy.«, everything falls apart. And I'm not even talking about his mentality. I'm not trying to defend Nick, but I believe that his mentality on the court is mostly because he can't play great tennis when he is being too serious and is focusing on too much on the tennis. I know it sounds counter-intuitive to any serious tennis player, but bear with me I'll try to explain using some of the core principles introduced on this site. It's his low swingweight, head light balance and relatively low mass. In fact, Kyrgios has got the lowest swing weight among the professional players that I know of. Let's take a look at what low or high swingweight translates to as described in the swingweight chapter:


»High swingweight also means you need longer strokes to accelerate the racquet. Think about Rafael Nadal and Alexander Zverev (Novak Djokovic is also here but not so extreme). They both have hight swing weight and low MGR/I, and they have long strokes, especially on the forehand side, and they play with incredible control and consistency. On the other side of the spectrum is, for example, Nick Kyrgios. Low swingweight, hight MGR/I, short strokes, incredible racquet head acceleration but a lack of consistency, because when he get’s tight, the slightest deviations in his stroke mechanics cause a much bigger change in the racquet head position at contact. On the other hand, Nadal and Zverev when they get tight their only job is to get the racket through the contact and the ball goes in. They spend much more energy doing that, but they can go in the »lockdown« mode and not miss.«


To recap, the biggest problem is the lack of effective mass (swingweight) on collision with the ball. To get comparable amounts of spin and power with his racket, to someone with a higher swingweight, he needs very high swing speeds. To understand this, check the momentum equations in the chapter mass and balance. High swing speeds translate to less margin for error because the timing has to be perfect on every shot. His backhand is also unorthodox because of this. He accelerates it very quickly with not a lot of backswing.


Of course, the low swingweight and very headlight balance also have their advantages, like for example, the racket is very maneuvrable, enabling Nick to hit all those trick shots, tweeners and so on. For this reason, I also don't see Nick as particularly talented as the racket enables him to do the things he does. But unfortunately, the racket also hinders his ability to play consistent tennis from the baseline when he needs to. To stay in a long baseline exchange, he needs a much faster swing speed than his opponent with a higher swingweight. He plays his best tennis, when he doesn't think that much, is relaxed and is mixing it up with trick shots, drop shots, heavy spins, flat shots and so on. But when things get tough, and to quote Eminem: »His palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy.«, everything falls apart, and Nicks tantrums on the court are his attempts to stay relaxed and play well. But in contrast, someone like Nadal uses hight swingweight as his best friend in tough moments.


In the chapter MGR/I, I also compared Kyrgios and Federer, in terms of MGR/I value and the way their rackets play. But similar MGR/I values just mean that the weight distribution is similar, but not the actual weight and swingweight. Federer is an example of the best of both worlds. He is playing with a high MGR/I and quite hight (not super high) swingweight. But let's not make this article about Federer.


For now, I will conclude that Kyrgios might snatch a big win here and there, but to expect him to do it for 2 weeks in a grand slam, is a bit unrealistic. He might, if he increases his swingweight, but that would completely change his game-style, and I don't think that would be good either. In this article, my main intention was to break down some misconceptions about Nick Kyrgios and his game and I hope you can see him in a different light now.

 

[weakera]

Kyrgios is the equivalent of a pitcher who can throw 100 mph with a 93 mph slider but has no idea how to pitch. I've never seen a successfully implemented mid-match tactic change or strategy alteration from NK because he appears to have no strategy to begin with. He clearly doesn't approach the sport seriously and being truly successful at the ATP level is about so much more than mere talent.

 

[Plamen1234]

Kyrgios basically gave up on the match when he got broken in the first set.Compare this with Khachanov for example who fought to the end and broke Nadal when he was serving for the match.There is no fighting spirit in Kyrgios.

 

[Red Rick]

Nick Kyrgios is a man with a thousand pieces of different puzzles.

His game just does not work vs a top opponent on good form.

 

[Deleted member 733170]

He plays low percentage tennis which means poor results over the long term interspersed with an entertaining big win here and there.

And, oh yes, he is very the definition of ‘mentally weak’.

 

[Deleted member 733170]

I'd just like to clear things up and see if anyone agrees, and why not. Read everything here: https://impactingtennis.com/2018/09...k-kyrgios-why-he-cant-win-when-it-gets-tough/

You make some fair and worthwhile observations in your post.

Definitely worth a read.

 

[Sysyphus]

yeah, needs to read up on the TTW gear section about swingweights, polarization, and MGR/I and maybe buy that 'physics and technology of tennis' book and good things will happen.

 

[Clara]

In my opinion Kyrgios is mentally weak. He is using all those trick shots and silliness on court to try to cover his poor mental state. To be successful and not only in tennis you need to be humble first and admit to yourself that you won’t be able to win every single time even if you give your best. That’s why the phrase ‘he/she was better than me today’ is so common because it’s about today. He reminds me of Monfis- foolish playful joker on court but never achieved anything big.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[el sergento]

yeah, needs to read up on the TTW gear section about swingweights, polarization, and MGR/I and maybe buy that 'physics and technology of tennis' book and good things will happen.

100% agreed. If only he had a coach that would ahelp him maximize his MGR/I game.

 

[Rattler]

Nick Kyrgios is a man with a thousand pieces of different puzzles.

His game just does not work vs a top opponent on good form.

Miami 2017?

 

[Red Rick]

Miami 2017?

33 vs 25% return ponits won for Federer. Fed should've broken him more often.

 

[tennis4me]

He's just not as talented as many people claim/say. (by "People", myself included ) Does not have the mentality of a great champion period.

 

[Bukowski]

Wow the writer of that article is reaaally over thinking it.

 

[Rattler]

33 vs 25% return ponits won for Federer. Fed should've broken him more often.

And yet it was a match that could’ve gone either way...a handful of points the other way and Nick would’ve won.

I think everyone is missing an obvious part of his play this last year (beyond his motivation).....he’s out of shape and has been playing injured for most of the year...to me it looks like his hip or his hips require surgery....along the same lines of what Murray went through.

 

[Fliiix]

You make some fair and worthwhile observations in your post.

Definitely worth a read.

Thank you. I hope to shed some light on the aspects of tennis that are not talked about.

yeah, needs to read up on the TTW gear section about swingweights, polarization, and MGR/I and maybe buy that 'physics and technology of tennis' book and good things will happen.

100% agreed. If only he had a coach that would ahelp him maximize his MGR/I game.

I don't necessarily think he should change anything, but a coach or him understanding these principles could help him make a game plan. For Example, don't get involved in "baseline bashing" with Federer like he did too often today.

 

[AnOctorokForDinner]

33 vs 25% return ponits won for Federer. Fed should've broken him more often.

To be specific, this applies to the first set (which, as we remember, Rog still won) - Fed should've broken at the start, winning 42% return points while breaking only once is quite wasteful - but not to the last two. In set 2, Federer maintained a higher RPW than Kyrgios but not high enough to break (23% vs 17%). In set 3, he won 30% on return, which is often good enough to break, but Nick played genuinely well under pressure and didn't allow any BPs.

 

[reaper]

And yet it was a match that could’ve gone either way...a handful of points the other way and Nick would’ve won.

I think everyone is missing an obvious part of his play this last year (beyond his motivation).....he’s out of shape and has been playing injured for most of the year...to me it looks like his hip or his hips require surgery....along the same lines of what Murray went through.

A lobotomy might be of more use.

 

[MeatTornado]

In my opinion Kyrgios is mentally weak. He is using all those trick shots and silliness on court to try to cover his poor mental state. To be successful and not only in tennis you need to be humble first and admit to yourself that you won’t be able to win every single time even if you give your best. That’s why the phrase ‘he/she was better than me today’ is so common because it’s about today. He reminds me of Monfis- foolish playful joker on court but never achieved anything big.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

He's a middle schooler that thinks he needs to be too cool for school. He won't admit that he wants to win, because if he loses it'll be embarrassing. The way he plays now, he can brush off a loss as "this sport's dumb, I wasn't even trying anyway."

 

[spirit95]

Kyrgios basically gave up on the match when he got broken in the first set.Compare this with Khachanov for example who fought to the end and broke Nadal when he was serving for the match.There is no fighting spirit in Kyrgios.

He didn't give up, he was still trying but he couldn't focus

 

[papertank]

People equate entertaining/flashy shots with talent, and so many call Kyrgios extremely talented. In reality his only true impressive shot is the serve. His game plan is basically just to be as aggressive as possible whether that means bashing groundstrokes or playing drop shots, and if that doesn't work he has absolutely no plan B. His return of serve is particularly awful, meaning anyone with a strong serve will always be tough for him to beat.

 

[Rafa's OCD]

he doesn't really have a game. he's got elements of a game, a few of which are superlative. he also lacks a will, fortitude and a functional tennis brain. that being said, I don't think Federer was playing that well today, certainly not nearly as well as Roger Federer Fan Club President Patrick McEnroe claimed, and that a clowning Kyrgios had moments where he was maybe 50% of tennis player and still more or less toying with the "GOAT" does not have me optimistic for Federer's chances going forward.

also received further confirmation that Cahill is a nitwit, a point hammered home midway through the 3rd when he claimed Kyrgios was "loose now." Nick Kyrgios is nothing but "loose now." He's never had a tight moment in his life. The overabundance of looseness is why he's never won anything.

 

[AtomicBernie]

I'd just like to clear things up and see if anyone agrees, and why not. Read everything here: https://impactingtennis.com/2018/09...k-kyrgios-why-he-cant-win-when-it-gets-tough/

interesting about the swing weight, as I play with a very high swing weight racquet and it does help me with consistency & power in the long run.

But Kyrgios also need a bigger weight on his mindset. He needs a massive change in his attitude in pro tennis.

 

[duaneeo]

Kyrgios doesn't win because there's no need. Doesn't appear he's losing endorsements, and no matter how many times he gives tennis the middle finger, many still consider him great for tennis.

 

[Tshooter]

I blame Lahyani for Nick losing. Where was he when Nick needed him. I thought he cared.

 

[MatsPhilander]

-

Wow the writer of that article is reaaally over thinking it.

Yep, the fact is sport is mostly mental strength as opposed to skill. Kyrigos has plenty of skill but little in the way of application. That he needed a gee-up from the umpire to beat a jabroni in the previous round speaks volumes for where he is at mentally. Wasn't it a week or two back he was heard on mic talking about watching him tank the next three games?

 

[Fedeonic]

I have another theory, Federer just converted the bp chances today and avoided being entangled into tiebreaks which against a servebot (because that's what Kyrgios is) is a big lottery like in Madrid 2015 or even Miami 2017.

 

[Sudacafan]

I'd just like to clear things up and see if anyone agrees, and why not. Read everything here: https://impactingtennis.com/2018/09...k-kyrgios-why-he-cant-win-when-it-gets-tough/

Excellent description of Kyrgios game.
Because of low swing weight, could we say that Kyrgios may have brilliant perspectives as a senior tour player?

 

[MichaelNadal]

Perezoso.

 

[merwy]

What’s MGR/I? Never seen that acronym in my life

 

[Tennease]

 

[ChaelAZ]

Nick shrinks from challenges to keep the image of himself that he is that much better than them, instead of having to prove it on court. He doesn't want to struggle or work too hard, so when he does lose there is palusbile deniability in his mind.

The same way he loses interest in matches that don't challenge him in thinking they aren't good enough to be challenging him. All between the ears for that bloke, and most likely will not change.