Is Nick Kyrgios finally getting serious about his tennis career?

He’s long frustrated fans with his antics – both on and off the court – and his overall lack of interest in tennis, but is Nick Kyrgios finally getting serious about his career?

The 28-year-old has been out with wrist, knee and ankle injuries since October 2022, and it seems the long spell on the sidelines has made the Australian finally take stock of his life.

Speaking to The Australian Open Show podcast in April, Kyrgios said: "It's arguably been one of the hardest years of my life tennis-wise."

Want to see more like this? Follow us here for daily sports news, profiles and analysis!

"I've had some really hard conversations with myself, if I want to keep doing this. So I know there's still fire in the belly, which is good, it's healthy."

While it’s not the first time Kyrgios has threatened to get serious, there are other signs as well.

Firstly, his decision to join the BBC commentary team for its Wimbledon coverage in July is an interesting move in itself. 

For Kyrgios, a man who famously said in 2015 “that he didn’t really like tennis”, as reported by The Independent, to now be professionally analysing the game for hours on end is certainly indicative of a recent change in attitude.

But even going back to 2022 it seemed like Kyrgios had turned a corner around his Wimbledon run, in which he made it to the final with Novak Djokovic, eventually losing a competitive four-match set to the Serb.

His press conferences around that time would also show a less combative and more open and passionate side.

Want to see more like this? Follow us here for daily sports news, profiles and analysis!

He told the Wimbledon press room after his fourth-round win in 2022 that he wasn’t “thinking about lifting a trophy, I’m thinking about my habits and every day and just trying to put in a good performance.”   

Perhaps this change in attitude can be attributed to a more settled home life. He started dating influencer Costeen Hatzi in December 2021, and she has been a constant in his life ever since, including being present for all his matches.

"I want a beautiful relationship with this one [Haitzi],” Kyrgios told Instagram during a live Q and A in January 2023, as reported by ESPN. “A big family. A successful tennis career that is able to look after my family, and give my kids opportunity and freedom. Lastly, to inspire millions of kids to believe.”:

It certainly sounds like a serious perspective shift for the man who used to go out drinking before Grand Slam matches!

For the moment though, it seems Kyrigos hasn’t put a date on his return to the court but has been training since April 2024.

"Just hang tight, I'll be back on court soon and I'll give you a little bit more to cheer about, that's for sure," he told The Australian Open Show Podcast in April.

In the meantime, Kyrgios will make more headlines over the summer months as he takes to the commentary box. Attitude shift aside, the boisterous Aussie still loves to speak his mind and is bound to create controversy with his presence at Wimbledon. Watch this space.

Want to see more like this? Follow us here for daily sports news, profiles and analysis!