Kyrgios seeing psychologists

True Fanerer

G.O.A.T.
Nick Kyrgios says he has begun talking to psychologists and wants to improve his approach to his career.

The 23-year-old Australian told the Canberra Times that he has been "starting to see some psychologists and trying to get on top of my mental health," consulting with one in Australia and one elsewhere.

"I probably left it a little too long," he said. "But I've been doing that and I feel more open about talking about it, I don't feel like I've got to hide that sort of stuff any more."

Kyrgios has twice been questioned for lack of effort in ATP events, creating controversy when he got encouragement from the umpire at the US Open, and arguing with the chair at Shanghai in more conventional fashion.

But he indicated that satisfaction off-court was required to help him on the court.
"I know I'm very lucky to be able to travel around and play tennis. I've been with a couple of things that haven't been easy this year, but I'm sure it'll be OK next year," he said.

Having reached the Top 15, Kyrgios has dropped to No. 38 and experienced frequent injuries this season. He says he has had some decent performances when he has played, but also been forced to withdraw from events and wants to develop a better schedule.

"I want to pick and choose the right tournaments to play, and when I'm playing in those tournaments I want to invest fully. I'm going to work with my team," he said.
Kyrgios is the third-ranked Australian player.

th


http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2018/11/nick-kyrgios-psychologists/77865/
 

Mainad

Bionic Poster
Imagine how the 1st session might go:

Psychologist: "Why do you act the way you do on the tennis court?"

Kyrgios: " Because I don't like playing tennis".

Psychologist: "Why?"

Kyrgios: "Because I really want to be a psychologist but my mom said I would make more money playing tennis!"
 
Last edited:

thrust

Legend
There is nothing wrong with him. He shouldn’t be using the term Mental Health as there are many people with genuine mental health issues who live horrible lives.

He is very lazy and needs a kick up the arse from someone outside of his family. That’s the problem.
I Agree! Perhaps if he was banned from a few tournaments every time he acted weird, he would wise up?
 

Ann

Hall of Fame
I may be one of the few but I hope the kid can get his act together. He has raw talent and the injuries are a side-effect of his terrible conditioning. If he gets his head in shape, gets his body in shape he does have the talent to have a good 5-7 years and win a couple of slams along the way. If he cleans up his act, I'd root for him.
 

oldmanfan

Legend
I may be one of the few but I hope the kid can get his act together. He has raw talent and the injuries are a side-effect of his terrible conditioning. If he gets his head in shape, gets his body in shape he does have the talent to have a good 5-7 years and win a couple of slams along the way. If he cleans up his act, I'd root for him.
Nick has the game to win slams, especially in this era. I thought he'd peak higher than Z (still do), but Z would achieve more bc of consistency. Nick is wasting his time/talents atm.

I think his problem is a result of how much money is in the game, and the ease to earn them.

Nick is skilled, but has achieved basically nothing, yet has earned $6mil+ in prize money alone (likely 2-3x that with endorsements). In comparison, Laver won something like $2mil+(pre-inflation) in his entire career, a GOAT-level career. This is partly why Federer created the LaverCup; to honor and find a way to financially reward Laver for what he's done for the game. He's done too much for tennis to have earned only a measely $2mil+.

Had Nick played with that kind of prize money that Laver dealt with, he'd be culled out bc of lack of money, and his lack of 'motivation' will make him quit bc life isn't free. OR he'd clean up his act and fully focus on tennis to really try and reach his potential.

As it stands, money comes too easy for Nick, and it's hard to have the self control to focus and 'really' go the distance. Why work hard when you don't have to and still live comfortably, right?

Maybe this move will help him. I want to root for him bc his game is exciting to see, and full of variety. Like a variant of Federer's game; commanding serve, variety, offense, unpredictable.
 

graycrait

Legend
As sports fans we like to see winners, at least I do. As a nearly 6 decade tennis fan I don't mind seeing growth, but that growth means winning. If Kyrgios gets on the right winning path, more wins than losses, then he might be fun to watch again. Right now I turn the match off if Kyrgios is on because he is as likely to tank as anything it seems. What sports fan of any sport tunes in to a player and then says to them self, "I got to see this guy lose, he loses so well, wish I could lose like that."
 
Last edited:

big ted

Legend
"I want to pick and choose the right tournaments to play, and when I'm playing in those tournaments I want to invest fully."

wow.. if he can't play a full schedule when he's 23 y.o. sounds like he may have problems..
 

mightyjeditribble

Hall of Fame
There is nothing wrong with him. He shouldn’t be using the term Mental Health as there are many people with genuine mental health issues who live horrible lives.

He is very lazy and needs a kick up the arse from someone outside of his family. That’s the problem.

How do you know?

Good for him to be willing to go to therapy and talk about whatever issues he may have. I do hope it helps him - regardless of whether it helps with his tennis results.
 

Pistol10

Professional
Man if this guy can focus on his game, there's no doubt he'll be something special.

The big 3 developed there game through there motivation, they did their homework perfectly, they with a help of people surrounding them, took care of themselves very well, but IMHO, non of them has a special & unique talent that this guy has.
 

MLRoy

Hall of Fame
Nick Kyrgios says he has begun talking to psychologists and wants to improve his approach to his career.

The 23-year-old Australian told the Canberra Times that he has been "starting to see some psychologists and trying to get on top of my mental health," consulting with one in Australia and one elsewhere.

"I probably left it a little too long," he said. "But I've been doing that and I feel more open about talking about it, I don't feel like I've got to hide that sort of stuff any more."

Kyrgios has twice been questioned for lack of effort in ATP events, creating controversy when he got encouragement from the umpire at the US Open, and arguing with the chair at Shanghai in more conventional fashion.

But he indicated that satisfaction off-court was required to help him on the court.
"I know I'm very lucky to be able to travel around and play tennis. I've been with a couple of things that haven't been easy this year, but I'm sure it'll be OK next year," he said.

Having reached the Top 15, Kyrgios has dropped to No. 38 and experienced frequent injuries this season. He says he has had some decent performances when he has played, but also been forced to withdraw from events and wants to develop a better schedule.

"I want to pick and choose the right tournaments to play, and when I'm playing in those tournaments I want to invest fully. I'm going to work with my team," he said.
Kyrgios is the third-ranked Australian player.

th


http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2018/11/nick-kyrgios-psychologists/77865/
That face really says it all. A face/personality only his mama could love. I'm afraid he's going to get it together, and win slams. Despite the Stoop-shoulder Syndrome, and stick legs, his athleticism is amazing. But I don't know if I want an obvious pos winning slams. I can't see me rooting for him unless he played someone even more odious. But, as the owl asks, who...?
 

Rogfan

Professional
Nick has the game to win slams, especially in this era. I thought he'd peak higher than Z (still do), but Z would achieve more bc of consistency. Nick is wasting his time/talents atm.

I think his problem is a result of how much money is in the game, and the ease to earn them.

Nick is skilled, but has achieved basically nothing, yet has earned $6mil+ in prize money alone (likely 2-3x that with endorsements). In comparison, Laver won something like $2mil+(pre-inflation) in his entire career, a GOAT-level career. This is partly why Federer created the LaverCup; to honor and find a way to financially reward Laver for what he's done for the game. He's done too much for tennis to have earned only a measely $2mil+.

Had Nick played with that kind of prize money that Laver dealt with, he'd be culled out bc of lack of money, and his lack of 'motivation' will make him quit bc life isn't free. OR he'd clean up his act and fully focus on tennis to really try and reach his potential.

As it stands, money comes too easy for Nick, and it's hard to have the self control to focus and 'really' go the distance. Why work hard when you don't have to and still live comfortably, right?

Maybe this move will help him. I want to root for him bc his game is exciting to see, and full of variety. Like a variant of Federer's game; commanding serve, variety, offense, unpredictable.

Completely agree. Just look at Tomic. What happens when the result of lack of efforts is that he earns thousands instead of millions. He learns straight away.
 

Wurm

Professional
There is nothing wrong with him. He shouldn’t be using the term Mental Health as there are many people with genuine mental health issues who live horrible lives.

Mental health issues are a sliding scale, not a cliff edge where you're either fine or suicidal and about to throw yourself off.

Nick behaves on court like he might have issues with depression, but it might be that he just genuinely hates having to play singles tennis half the time and lacks Agassi's weird neediness/schizophrenia/competitiveness where he supposedly hated tennis but sure put a lot of effort into doing it well. I imagine Kyrgios'd love to just sack singles off and go play doubles for a living with Jack Sock but the expectation (and the money) is on him to stay with singles.
 
O

OhYes

Guest
Unfortunately psychology is not medical science, just because they are not 100% certain in what are they doing and is their branch capable of curing people at all.
If placebo can work with Nick, well why not ?
 

Raindogs

Hall of Fame
Unless his shrink can also fix that challenger-level shovel backhand he's got then he's going to have to learn some self-acceptance in never winning anything of merit.
 
Last edited:

accidental

Hall of Fame
He wants to ‘pick and choose’ his tournaments

But he’s ranked like 37. If he doesn’t defend his Brisbane title and 4th round Aus Open points he won’t have the luxury of picking and choosing

This is one of his problems. He thinks he’s a superstar on par with the top 5 when he hasn’t achieved anything in his career
 

RaulRamirez

Legend
I may be one of the few but I hope the kid can get his act together. He has raw talent and the injuries are a side-effect of his terrible conditioning. If he gets his head in shape, gets his body in shape he does have the talent to have a good 5-7 years and win a couple of slams along the way. If he cleans up his act, I'd root for him.
I agree with you. Even when he got on my radar by taking out Rafa (R of 16, 2014 Wimbledon), I was intrigued by him. Yes, he's been hard to root for - the incident with Stan, tanking, other outbursts - I don't think he's yet done anything that is unforgivable. It may be a long shot, but maybe some therapy will help. If he gets it together, even under his own terms (some cockiness and unpredictability but not nearly to his present extent) his game is exciting and he could be good for "our sport".
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ann

stringertom

Bionic Poster
Nick Kyrgios says he has begun talking to psychologists and wants to improve his approach to his career.

The 23-year-old Australian told the Canberra Times that he has been "starting to see some psychologists and trying to get on top of my mental health," consulting with one in Australia and one elsewhere.

"I probably left it a little too long," he said. "But I've been doing that and I feel more open about talking about it, I don't feel like I've got to hide that sort of stuff any more."

Kyrgios has twice been questioned for lack of effort in ATP events, creating controversy when he got encouragement from the umpire at the US Open, and arguing with the chair at Shanghai in more conventional fashion.

But he indicated that satisfaction off-court was required to help him on the court.
"I know I'm very lucky to be able to travel around and play tennis. I've been with a couple of things that haven't been easy this year, but I'm sure it'll be OK next year," he said.

Having reached the Top 15, Kyrgios has dropped to No. 38 and experienced frequent injuries this season. He says he has had some decent performances when he has played, but also been forced to withdraw from events and wants to develop a better schedule.

"I want to pick and choose the right tournaments to play, and when I'm playing in those tournaments I want to invest fully. I'm going to work with my team," he said.
Kyrgios is the third-ranked Australian player.

th


http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2018/11/nick-kyrgios-psychologists/77865/
Just pay Mo mo money to walk away from his chair.
 
Top