Kyrgios: ‘I don’t need someone to tell me how to play tennis’

Nick Krygios

Win or lose this week, Nick Kyrgios has finally started to play the singles he is capable of. While he can scream when he misses an easy shots, then he must begin to forget. He won’t improve his game and career if he keeps up the erratic, errant shouting at this camp that defused his shot of winning last month’s Wimbledon final. But, sure he is dangerous as he can nail so many winners.

He is playing in Washington, and maybe he can win it.

But now, where will he will be? Over the years, he has pulled out from a lot of tournaments. But when he is healthy, then the Aussie thinks he can beat anyone. But he also wants to switch it up his tactics.

“I feel like tactically when I play players I’m very switched on. I watch a lot of film,” Kyrgios said. “I know every player’s weakness and strength. I do my own research. I feel as if no one knows my game as good as myself. But I feel like there can be one little thing that my team says to me that can help me. I don’t need someone to tell me how to play tennis. I just need positive reinforcement at times to just give me feedback that I’m doing all right and I’m doing well, because I have had so much negativity in my career that sometimes I beat myself up way too much. I feel like just one little positive thing can do so much for my tennis. Tactically I’m very switched on. … I just serve big and play on instinct and play big, and it works well.”

He is ranked No. 63, and this week, he can go a bit further. But also in Toronto, and Cincinnati, and if he goes deep, maybe he will be seeded at the US Open. Maybe.

The new Kasatkina

At San Jose, Daria Kasatkina reached the 2021 final, and she went down against Danielle Collins, before she was ranked No. 31. But now, Kasatkina is No. 12 and knocked off Aryna Sabalenka 4-6 7-5 6-0 on Friday. Her consistently in the last 30 minutes was pretty surprising.

After coming out last month as gay, Katsatkina seems to be riding a new wave of freedom. As she told WTATour.com, “I’m really happy about it. As I saw, it was not just a good thing for me, also it helped other people. That’s great and I feel great. I feel happy about it and about myself and that’s most important.”

On clay, she reached the semis at Rome and Roland Garros. She was picking it up. She hasn’t won a tournament this year, and while she is one of the biggest hitters, her serve is very soft. She does not come into the net often, but she can mix it up a fair amount.

She was somewhat close to winning a Grand Slam, but she held herself back.

However, Kasatkina is so strong, with her forehand and her backhand, when she can smash the balls.

In San Jose, in the matches, she can be a little bit wild, and also, more in tune with their strengths. Every year, the players can be focused a lot. With others, they can drift off. When they walk on the court, you can tell that they are driven, or they can be space.
 
If Kasatkina gets better each week, then her confidence will return gradually. That will be a tremendous pressure. Back in 2017, she won a very important tournament in Charleston. She also reached the final at Indian Wells, a gigantic event.

The Russian is more mature. “This is the point when I have to realize that I am an adult and mature enough,” Kasatkina said. “I’m not 18 anymore.
I cannot rely that I am young and I will have time. No, I’m 25, I have to act now. I have to show everything I’ve got in these years. I think this is already the time to give more than take.”