Nick Kyrgios has revealed that playing exhibition tennis in Saudi Arabia for a seven-figure sum rather than representing Australia in the Davis Cup was an “easy” decision for him.
The Wimbledon finalist also told AAP that negativity towards him and the feeling of not being embraced by Australia also lay behind his attitude towards competing for his country, admitting he wasn’t sure if he’d ever play in the men’s World Cup of tennis again.
“Maybe if Australia embraced me a little bit more, I would play it and bring home the trophy,” he said. “But who knows?”
In a candid interview from the Saudi Arabian capital Riyadh where he’s competing for a $A1.5 million winner’s prize in the invitational 12-man, three-day Diriyah Tennis Cup exhibition event, Kyrgios opened up for the first time about his reasons for his three-year absence from team competition.
Davis Cup captain Lleyton Hewitt and Australia No.1 Alex de Minaur both revealed in Malaga after the team had been beaten in the final that they’d tried in vain to persuade Kyrgios to play, with Hewitt shrugging: “You have to ask him.”
When AAP did ask him on the eve of the Middle East tournament, the 27-year-old responded: “At this point of my career, I’ll always do what’s best for me.
“I can travel around the world playing exhibitions around this time of year for six figures – you know I feel I put myself in that position – so it’s an easy one for me.
“I’ll easily take time with my family and my girlfriend and enjoy experiences around the world and earn that type of money rather than play a week away in something where I wouldn’t be able to be with my girlfriend and I’m not getting paid that well.
“(That) doesn’t really make sense to me and my progression as an athlete.”
So, could he ever imagine playing the Davis Cup again?
“Maybe, who knows?” the world No.22 said.
“Adding another week in Europe in Malaga wasn’t really what was on my wish list. If it was in Australia, maybe it would have been a different story. But who knows?”
What remains clear, though, is that the stance of this complex sportsman still has to do with his perception of how he is treated at home.
“It’s not always easy for me to erase everything in Australia that’s said negatively about me or my family, you don’t need that – so it’s interesting that they really want me to play, but are always criticising.”
Asked about the feeling that he had been more embraced in Australia this year since his Wimbledon heroics, he said: “Yeah, I know, but I don’t forget the first seven years of my career … They can’t just pick and choose.
“Look, I’ve always been one of the best players in the world – I’ve always held up my fair share of the bargain towards Australia.
“I feel like this is the first year I’ve earned respect when it should have been given when I first came on tour.
“I’ve represented them, put them on the map, and having produced one of the most successful male years in the last decade for Australia, and am only just getting embraced (now), I don’t think that’s my fault.”
Asked what he felt he’d have to do to earn the warmest embrace from the Australian public now, he said: “I honestly don’t care – I’m getting on with my life.”
