"I'm on court and I can't play because I'm a bit horny" - Nick Kyrgios on how being away from his partner impacted his on-court performances

Speaking on his podcast No Boundaries, Nick Kyrgios revealed how being away from his partner (girlfriend) negatively impacted his on-court performances early on in his career.

Kyrgios, one of the most mercurial players on tour, has developed a penchant for throwing tantrums and "tanking" when things don't go his way. However, the Australian can be a world-beater on his day, as evidenced by the fact that he holds a 100% record against Novak Djokovic and has also defeated Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer.

Kyrgios' former partners include fellow tennis professionals Anna Kalinskaya and Ajla Tomljanović. He has also been in an on-off relationship with Chiara Passari in recent times.

On the podcast, Kyrgios revealed that tennis required him to be away from his first girlfriend for six months at a stretch. This left the Australian "frustrated" on several levels.

“With my first girlfriend, I was away from her for six months at a time,” Kyrgios said.

“When you’re trying to perform at the highest level, you start missing someone like emotionally, physically and it becomes a sexual frustration," he added.

The 26-year-old further revealed that staying away from his "significant other" for prolonged periods made him moody and irritable on the court.

“I’m on court and I can’t play because I’m a bit horny, if you know what I mean," Kyrgios continued. "It doesn’t matter if you’re in an office job … If you’re not seeing your significant other, it affects you, your work, your mood, everything. I was the moodiest motherf***** when I was away from my missus for that long.”

"I’m pretty sure that’s why I lost my f****** marbles" - Nick Kyrgios on why he considers tennis a "hard" sport

Nick Kyrgios at the 2020 Australian Open

During the podcast, Nick Kyrgios also took a dig at Australian Football League players who complained about having to stay in a bubble Down Under for a month before getting to play.

Kyrgios explained how life as a tennis player is far more demanding, pointing out how you travel to a different part of the world on a weekly basis for several months a year.

“You have AFL guys complaining that they have to do a one-month bubble in Australia, and I’m like dude, I’m going seven months a year abroad in a new place every week and I’m like what the f***,” Kyrgios said.

As such, the Aussie believes tennis is a "hard" sport from a mental and physical perspective, and admitted that its demanding nature affected his mental state.

“That’s why tennis is so hard, in my opinion," Nick Kyrgios said. "The mental game is ridiculous. Physically, you have to be an absolute animal. What other sport do you have to play for three-plus hours, possibly seven times in two weeks? It doesn’t happen. I’m pretty sure that’s why I lost my f****** marbles.”