Rod Laver on Nick Kyrgios: “Suspension is the Only Answer”

Nick Kyrgios, who made a third-round exit at the 2019 US Open revealed that he had “no idea” on how to fulfill his promise, having now gone five years since reaching the quarterfinals in a Grand slam.

Australian legend, Rod Laver slammed Nick Kyrgios for his mercurial on-court behavior, saying that he should be suspended from the ATP Tour for a series of controversial on-court outbursts during the summer hardcourt season in the USA.

The 11-time Grand Slam champion said in an interview on Wednesday, “I don’t know if he’s deliberately aiming for publicity or whether he’s aiming at individual things that he wants to accomplish, but that’s the one thing he lacks is discipline.” 

The ATP has been deciding whether to suspend Nick Kyrgios from the ATP Tour for a year after he was fined with a record $US113,000 in Cincinnati last month.

Krgios further increased the chances of his suspension after he criticized the ATP to be a corrupt organization during the US Open 2019. However, Rod Laver does not think that the ATP is doing enough to amend his behavior.

He said to The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, “Whatever they have done hasn’t worked so far, so maybe a suspension is the only answer. I’m not sure he’s learned anything from any of the things that have gone on. And if he got some discipline, then most things come pretty simply.”

Rod Laver further added, “You don’t interfere with your talent and that’s what he’s doing, is interfering with his own ability.”

However, the Australian legend believes that if Nick Kyrgios can maintain his composure then he can become a world champion with his incredible talent.

He said, “Nick is Nick, unfortunately. He could have been, or still could become, a world champion because of his serving ability, his game. But his brain gets in the way. He doesn’t want to adhere to the conditions or the umpire.”