Kyrgios’ Last Australian Open?

The Australian Open is into its second week and we had some great first matches. Joao Fonseca upset Andrey Rublev in the first round, and we saw a similar showing from Alex Michelsen against Stefanos Tsitsipas. Emma Navarro had a tough battle against her compatriot Peyton Stearns, while Carlos Alcaraz has been playing some amazing tennis. However, today I want to talk about two specific players, which are Nick Kyrgios and Nishesh Basavareddy.

Identical Games

Let’s start off with Novak Djokovic and the rising star, Nishesh Basavareddy. First off, when you watch Basavareddy play, you can't help but notice his strokes, which bear a striking resemblance to Djokovic's. This similarity led me to do a bit of research, and what I discovered is that it's incredibly rare in tennis to find two players with identical strokes.

When you think about it, the closest players in terms of similar strokes are Roger Federer and Grigor Dimitrov. But even then, you'd find some differences in their forehand, backhand, and serve. With Basavareddy, his two-handed backhand stands out as the most Djokovic-like shot in his game. It's clear that Basavareddy has a great backhand, though his forehand and serve are not quite the same. His serve, for instance, is more of a pinpoint stance, and while the lag is more prolonged than Djokovic's, Basavareddy shares the wrist bend at the bottom of the lag, just like Novak does.

As for Basavareddy forehand, it's a bit more modern, with more of an "next-gen" feel compared to Djokovic’s. His game style also resembles Djokovic's in some ways but leans more towards a counter-puncher mentality. While Basavareddy can be aggressive, he tends to thrive on absorbing his opponent’s pace. This is a bit different from Djokovic, who can both counter-punch and dominate with offensive play when needed. Basavareddy, who is a big fan of Djokovic (he even has a picture of Novak on his WhatsApp profile), has already shown glimpses of his potential.

New Talent

For instance, his performance against Djokovic in the first set and a half at the Australian Open was a clear indication of his ability to hang with the best. It was also encouraging to see him battle through cramps in that match, ultimately recovering and playing his usual high level in the next two sets.

Basavareddy is a player to keep an eye on. He’s a phenomenal talent, and the fact that he could be one of the next Americans to break into the top 50 is a very exciting prospect for the future of the sport.

Tennis Influencer

Now, shifting gears to a different kind of story: Nick Kyrgios. He’s been making waves recently, particularly with the comments he made about some of the game’s legends and his constant back-and-forth with Jannik Sinner on social media. Andy Roddick responded to Kyrgios on his podcast, which went viral, with over 100,000 views and thousands of comments. The discussion gained a lot of traction, especially after Kyrgios’s early exit from the Australian Open this year.

I honestly didn’t expect Kyrgios to lose in the first round, but to be fair, he was struggling with an abdominal injury that severely affected his serve. Still, Nick’s performance in recent months has been far from what we know he’s capable of. He’s dominated tennis news recently, not for his play on court, but for his disruptive behavior towards former champions and his social media antics. This has led to a lot of debate about Kyrgios’s character and approach to the game, and I agree with Andy Roddick’s stance — this behavior just isn’t acceptable.

Kyrgios has always been a polarizing figure in tennis. For years, he’s boasted about his talent and potential, but his results have never quite matched the hype. His famous victories against Federer and Nadal early in his career created this narrative that he was going to be a serious threat to the Big Three. But the immense pressure that came with those early wins seems to have weighed on him. It’s clear that Kyrgios struggles with the expectations placed on him, especially when it comes to playing in Australia, where the pressure is amplified because he’s at home. I’ve always felt that his biggest issue is that he hasn’t been able to live up to the expectations that were thrust upon him so early in his career.

Triggering Comments

I’ll be honest, I’ve been triggered by some of his comments before, especially when he disrespected Boris Becker. I know Nick is trying to get attention, but some of the things he says just cross the line. And it’s not just the disrespect for other players — it’s his inconsistency. He’s often pulled out of tournaments, sometimes citing injury, other times not, and that just feeds into the narrative that Kyrgios doesn’t try enough. The most significant issue here, though, is that Kyrgios can’t seem to handle the pressure of being considered one of the greats. Deep down, I think he knows he has the skill, but he just can’t seem to push himself to deliver when it matters.

After his loss in the Australian Open, Kyrgios hinted that this might be his last appearance at the tournament. To be honest, I’m a bit saddened by the thought that we might not see him at his full potential. No matter how frustrating his behavior can be at times, you can’t ignore the talent he has. His career could have been so much more, and it's hard not to feel disappointed when you think about what might have been. Even last year, when he was doing commentary, former players like John McEnroe and others kept saying they’d much rather see him back on the court, competing. But if this is truly it for Nick, it’s a bit of a sad story.

Final Thoughts

Kyrgios still has time — he's young, and he could still turn it around. With some work on his fitness and consistency, there’s no reason why he couldn’t have a strong finish to his career. But if this is the end, it’s a wasted opportunity. To be fair, though, I think we can all agree that when it’s over, what matters most is whether you gave it your best shot. And in Nick's case, I’m not sure he ever truly gave it his all. That’s something that could haunt him when he looks back at his career.

If you compare Kyrgios to guys like Marin Čilić, David Ferrer, or even players from the 90s, they all achieved far more with similar or maybe even less talent. That’s what makes it all the more frustrating — knowing that he had the ability to do more. But tennis is a tough game, and dealing with expectations is a challenge for even the best of them. If Kyrgios can figure it out, 2025 could still be a big year for him. But if not, it will be a reminder of what could have been.