Nick Kyrgios is my third favorite at Wimbledon, I would not be shocked if he is in the semis or finals: Brad Gilbert

Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios will head into Wimbledon this year as a player to keep an eye on. While he isn't a perennial favorite by any stretch of the imagination, his game is tailor-made for the quick courts of SW19 and could be a force to be reckoned with.

According to ESPN's tennis analyst Brad Gilbert, Kyrgios is one of the players who could surprise everyone at SW19 this year. Gilbert has the Australian as his third favorite to win the tournament after Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal.

"Nick Kyrgios is someone to watch here. He is my third favorite as some of the higher seeds are vulnerable on grass. He isn't so much lesser-known, but lesser-ranked. He has a bomb of a serve and I would not be shocked if he is in the semis or finals," Gilbert wrote.

Kyrgios missed the entirety of the claycourt season as he wanted to spend more time with his family. This means that is rested and fresh coming into the grasscourt season. The Australian has reached the semifinals in two (at Halle and Stuttgart) of the three grasscourt tournaments he contested in ahead of Wimbledon.

Kyrgios himself remains bullish about his chances at Wimbledon. Speaking at his pre-tournament press conference, the Aussie said that he is quite happy with the way he is playing at the moment.

"I've played top-10 tennis players in the world this year and made them look pretty ordinary. I know where my game is. I know that if I feel confident I am able to do well whenever I want. I have to make sure I have good results, try my best. Had I realized it earlier in my career, maybe the narrative would have been different. I'm proud to be where I am right now," Kyrgios said.

---

Nick Kyrgios begins Wimbledon campaign against Paul Jubb

Kyrgios at the BOSS OPEN Stuttgart 2022 - Day 6

Nick Kyrgios will begin his bid to win the first Grand Slam of his career at Wimbledon by going up against Paul Jubb, a wildcard entry, in the opening round.

Kyrgios' defeats on grass this year have come against a resurgent Andy Murray and Hubert Hurkacz, while he has beaten the likes of Stefanos Tsitsipas, Pablo Carreno-Busta and Marton Fucsovics.

The 27-year-old is yet to go past the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam, with his best result coming at SW19 in 2014 when he reached the quarterfinals but lost in four sets to Milos Raonic.

The former World No. 13 has a 69 percent win percentage this season and will be eager to begin his grass Major campaign with a win on Tuesday.