"When I first came on the tour, I was like I'll try and be more like Roger Federer... I didn't feel myself" - Nick Kyrgios

Nick Kyrgios recently claimed that when he first came into the professional tennis circuit, he attempted to emulate Roger Federer. However, he quickly realized that he did not feel like himself by doing so.

Federer is known for his sportsmanlike conduct both on and off the court. In stark contrast, Kyrgios is known for his fiery temper and controversial behavior during matches. He has faced numerous fines for his on-court antics.

During a conversation with American actor and comedian Rainn Wilson on "Good Trouble with Nick Kyrgios," a video podcast produced by Naomi Osaka's media company Hana Kuma, Kyrgios opened up about his early days on the professional tennis circuit. He recalled seeing players like Andy Murray and Roger Federer on Tour, who were known for their gentlemanly behavior and always adhering to tradition.

Kyrgios admitted that he initially tried to emulate Federer's behavior by carrying two bags onto the court and attempting to maintain a sense of orderliness similar to the 20-time Grand Slam champion. However, he soon realized that this forced persona did not align with his true self, causing him to feel disconnected from the sport he loved.

“When I first came on the tour, I was so out of pocket, like with the normal tennis player, you know at that time was like Andy Murray, [Roger] Federer, and these gentlemen that were so clean cut. And I was like okay, I’ll try and be more like Federer. So I tried to you know, bring two bags to the courts, really organized, tried to be really clean and proper. The first couple of years, I didn’t feel myself. I was like, this sport is just so foreign to me," Kyrgios said.

Nick Kyrgios stated that he then decided to embrace his unique style and personality on the court, a change that helped him play some of his best tennis.

"And then I guess there was a point where I was like, f*ck it I’m just gonna be myself. You know? I started wearing basketball jerseys on court and everyone was like, what is he doing? And that’s when I think I've had my best success. When I just expressed myself,” he added.

Nick Kyrgios: "It’s just passion, when I get angry on the court"

Nick Kyrgios at the 2022 Australian Open

During a conversation with British celebrity chef, Gordon Ramsay at the aforementioned video podcast, Nick Kyrgios defended his on-court behavior, explaining that what may appear as anger is his "passion" for the game.

The former World No. 13 clarified that his outbursts are not directed at others, but rather at himself, as he holds himself to a high standard and knows he could have performed better.

"It’s just passion, like when I get angry on the court, I’m not doing it because I’m mad at someone else. I’m just upset ‘cause I know that I can do better," Nick Kyrgios said (at 18:20).

While Kyrgios acknowledged that he occasionally crosses the line by swearing and smashing his rackets on court, he attributed the actions to being passionate about the sport.

"But for me, when I take it too far, in the tennis world, swearing, for instance, is frowned upon. Well, I don’t even think I take it too far at times. Obviously, if I smash a racket, yeah, whatever for the youth that are looking up, but it’s just passionate at the end of the day," he added (at 18:43).