Kyrgios angles for ego boost: Name AO court after me

While he may not have played a Grand Slam since 2022, Nick Kyrgios still talks a big game, with the outlandish Aussie suggesting that tennis bosses name a Grand Slam court in his honour.

The 29-year-old who played his last Tour match of any kind nearly 18 months ago in Stuttgart, has  been out injured for that long period, with plans afoot to make a return during the upcoming Aussie tennis summer.

But meanwhile, one of the biggest egos in the game has a suggestion for Australian Open officials:

He hopes the moniker of the secondary John Cain show court at Melbourne Park can eventually be changed to honour himself, given his 12-3 career record at the venue named for a former Victorian state premier.

Former Wimbledon finalist Kyrgios is planning to play the upcoming Open after last competing in a Grand Slam (US Open) more than two years ago.

He cheekily told the AO podcast: “The court just feels amazing, I think I just love the dimensions of it,” Kyrgios said. “Even though every single court’s got the same dimensions, it’s just the backdrop and everything about it. I like how the crowd’s really close.

“I really want to put a petition in, when I’m done, to call it the Kyrgios Court, instead of John Cain Arena (laughter).

“I genuinely think if we called it the Kyrgios Court it’d be a lot cooler, and we’d create a bit more buzz: ‘Oh you played on the Kyrgios Court?’ 

“Because then it’s, like, known for being a bit of a chaotic, zoo-like atmosphere, I think, and then people will think about some of the best times I had on it.

“Just how chaotic the crowd was going; sometimes I was like, ‘this place is ridiculously loud.’

“I don’t know what it is about that court, but hopefully I’ll be able to play on it again this year.”