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Former tennis player Fernando Gonzalez has said that while Nick Kyrgios can split opinions, he's necessary to bring in new fans to the sport.
The enfant terrible of men's tennis, Kyrgios is widely regarded as one of the most talented players on tour outside the Big Three of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. However, the Australian's suspect temperament and penchant to brew trouble on and off the court have stymied his on-court progress despite possessing one of the best serves in tennis and powerful groundstrokes.
Nevertheless, the 27-year-old produced a dream run to the Wimbledon final two weeks ago, losing to Novak Djokovic in a fourth-set tiebreak. It was his deepest run at a Major since making the quarterfinals at the same tournament eight years ago and the last eight at the 2015 Australian Open.
Kyrgios did have his moments of controversy at the Championships - none more so than in his ill-tempered third-round win over Stefanos Tsitsipas. Nevertheless, the Aussie also produced moments of sublime magic, coming within two sets of a first Major title before falling short.
During an interaction with CLAY, Gonzalez noted Kyrgios' controversial streak, for which he is loved and hated in equal measure. However, the Chilean added that a character like Kyrgios can not only challenge the rules of tennis but also brings in new fans.
"He is someone very controversial, he is rebellious, he does not cause indifference, some may love him, others hate him," said Gonzalez. "He sells a lot, unfortunately sometimes with negative things. It is necessary because he leaves the rules of tennis within the rules - bring in a lot of new fans."
Is Nick Kyrgios a contender at US Open?
Nick Kyrgios' talent has never been in doubt, but the Australian has struggled for consistency, especially in the Majors, due to his penchant for theatrics at the cost of his game.
However, following his surprise run to the Wimbledon final, Kyrgios will fancy his chances of a deep run at Flushing Meadows next month. However, the Australian has never reached the second week of the last Grand Slam of the year in eight attempts. He lost in the first round last year.
Kyrgios knows he has the game to create a splash on the North American hardcourts. If he makes a deep run at one of the tune-up events ahead of the US Open, he'll fancy his chances of reaching the second week at the Major. Whether he goes all the way, though, remains to be seen.
