Competing in his first tournament since the Australian Open in February, Kyrgios quickly became a fan favorite among the people of London for his extremely entertaining gameplay and charming personality.

And that natural charisma was fully displayed during his stint in mixed doubles alongside tennis royalty Venus Williams.

Their first-round victory over American duo Sabrina Santamaria and Austin Krajicek was a thriller, filled with hugs, punches and encouragement.

The 16-year-old age gap meant they quickly became known as the odd couple at Wimbledon, but tennis fans couldn’t get enough of them.

“It was definitely one of the funniest times I’ve had on the tennis court,” Kyrgios said. news.com.au, speaking as Ambassador for Old El Paso.

“Just to honor the court of such an icon and such a legend before she retires.

“She’s 41 and obviously her body is going to be in a lot of pain, so I don’t know how long she’ll be playing. But I’m just lucky to be able to say that I played at Wimbledon with Venus Williams, and we won.

“I actually felt like we could do a lot of damage if I stayed healthy – our chemistry was off the charts.”

An injury deprived the tennis community of a second Kyrgios / Williams mixed doubles match at the All England Club, but will the duo join forces again in another Grand Slam tournament?

The Australian certainly hopes so.

“We keep our fingers crossed,” he said. “We could play the US Open or the Australian Open.”

Kyrgios is first and foremost an artist – success on the pitch is an added bonus. He wants to make the most of his time on the pitch and hopes the crowd will be ready to accompany him.

He has publicly confessed that Grand Slam titles are not on his radar – he’s here for a long time, not long.

It’s a strange philosophy in the modern age of sports, a philosophy its detractors repeatedly censure, but mental health is the top priority for Kyrgios.

“In any other job you can take a sick day, you can take time off. You don’t have to do your best every day for another job, ”he said.

“But on a tennis court, it’s a little hard to say, ‘Look, I don’t feel it today.’

“As athletes we face a lot of things… it’s not easy to go there every day and feel like you want to be out there in front of these big crowds where everyone is judging you, you critical with every little movement.

“In saying that, it comes with the territory. “

Either way, the public’s perception of Nick Kyrgios is undoubtedly changing.

The Canberra athlete became the face of bushfire relief last summer after calling on Australian Open organizers to plan an exhibition event to help raise funds.

During the coronavirus lockdown – the first – he personally delivered boxes of food to people who had lost their jobs and needed financial assistance.

He also became the voice of reason during the Covid-19 pandemic, condemning Djokovic’s controversial Adria Tour.

And while his outbursts and temper tantrums will inevitably dominate the headlines, most of the tennis community has grown to love the Nick Kyrgios show in its entirety.

“They finally kiss and enjoy the ride; seeing how different I do from all the other tennis players and just realizing that it’s actually entertainment, ”he said.

“There’s a reason all the stadiums are packed; there’s a reason I have so many subscribers. It’s more of a show than just a tennis match.

“I think everyone at Wimbledon this year has really embraced that.

“I feel like on the main stage I really showed who I am. I have the impression that the public has warmed up a lot with me since the start of my career. I am much more mature than at the start of my career.

Sadly, an abdominal injury brought Kyrgios’ electrifying Wimbledon campaign to an abrupt end.

At the end of the first set of his third round match against Canadian Felix Auger Aliassime, he felt a sharp pain in his lower abdomen, which immediately called for physio.

Kyrgios managed to win the first set 6-2, but his serve speed dropped. He lost the second set 6-1 before stopping.

“I was absolutely upset that I couldn’t continue that day, but I couldn’t serve anymore, so it was absolutely heartbreaking,” he said.

“When you feel the public and the crowd getting completely behind you, it’s obviously hard to say that you want to stop or not to play as much.

Either way, the Wimbledon crowd gave Kyrgios a standing ovation after his withdrawal from the third round contest. While it is customary for the loser to return to the hangars after a loss, Kyrgios has been asked to stay on the pitch for a post-match interview.

He deserved a real farewell, the opportunity to thank the spectators one last time.

“The crowd was so behind me, embracing every part of my tennis game,” Kyrgios said.

“When I went there it was like family – they told me tactics, always supported me and it was just crazy. I felt like I was literally playing in my backyard in Australia.

“I think it was one of the first times – of course, with the exception of the final – that the loser gave a press conference before leaving the stadium.

“It was a hell of a trick for me, this Wimbledon.”

Given this devotion to engaging crowds, Kyrgios’ withdrawal from the Tokyo Olympics should come as no surprise.

This week, Tokyo organizers were forced to give in to an increase in domestic virus cases and ban spectators from the majority of Olympic events.

Olympic athletes will sign a written pledge promising to abide by anti-virus rules in Tokyo, including staying away from tourist areas and not using public transport. Athletes will be required to wear masks at all times, except when they are outdoors, sleeping or eating.

“If I’m going to play my first Olympics, I want to do it the right way. I want to do it in front of crowded stadiums, ”Kyrgios said.

“You think of the Olympics, you think of crowded stadiums, everyone watches different sports, all the athletes make memories together. This is how I want to do it.

“I don’t want to remember my first Olympics without a crowd there – I’m not able to watch the Dream Team or anything like that, which I so want to do.

“I hope I can play the next Olympics in three years.”

Kyrgios is currently recovering in the Bahamas ahead of the Atlanta 250, an ATP tournament he won in 2016.

“There is a gymnasium nearby where I’m going to go and do all my rehabilitation,” he said.

“I have been in contact with my physio at home, and he has given me a good rehabilitation program which I have followed very diligently.

“I have done absolutely everything I can to improve myself because I want to be in great shape in the next tournament I am in, so I am literally doing everything I can right now to improve myself.”

As part of the Old El Paso Slam Dunk #MessFreeChallenge, Kyrgios recently challenged Australian basketball player Liz Cambage to get involved and attempt a dunk while holding a tortilla.

For each sharing of Kyrgios and Cambage’s challenges on Instagram, Old El Paso and the NK Foundation will donate a Mexican meal to help vulnerable people around the world.

And for every fan who posts their own Slam Dunk #MessFreeChallenge, that donation will increase to 10.