Nick Kyrgios is a brilliant player and few have ever doubted his talent. However, very few would have expected him to make the business end of Wimbledon this year, let alone reach the final.
The 27-year-old beat Cristian Garin in straight sets in the quarterfinals and was scheduled to face Rafael Nadal in the semiinals. However, the Spaniard withdrew from the match due to an abdominal injury, thus giving the Aussie passage into his first-ever Major final.
Nick Kyrgios started strong in the title clash, taking the first set 6-4. However, Djokovic’s big match experience came to the fore as he won the next three sets to win the title.
Besides coaches, Kyrgios’ players’ box is usually filled with friends and family, with his sister Halimah Kyrgios among them every now and then.
The middle child of the Kyrgios family, Halimah is a Hong Kong-based artist who is a singer and a dancer. She and her brothers, Christos and Nick, were born and raised in Canberra.
Halimah has built an impressive following on social media, having been on the country’s version of The Voice, where she received a standing ovation from the judges for her rendition of Tina Arena's song Chains.
Interestingly, Nick attended her auditions via a video call to support her. Host Sonia Kruger called Halimah’s performance “amazing”, to which Nick replied saying “she always is.”
Before auditioning on The Voice, Halimah spent a few years performing in musical theaters overseas. She even starred in Starlight Express, an Andrew Lloyd Webber musical in Germany.
Unsurprisingly, Nick Kyrgios is a huge fan of his sister.
“Hali is an amazing talent, whenever I get the chance I go to her shows, no matter how big or small they may be I go. It is always nice seeing her do her thing,” He said, speaking to The Canberra Times.
Halimah is also a huge supporter of Nick and has always insisted that the stress of playing tennis has taken a toll on her 27–year-old brother.
“Life is too short. Sometimes he suffers a lot of anxiety from the pressure. It's a really tough industry and you're basically hotel hopping for a whole year. You have to be tough on the tennis tour. I always ask his agent - how was his attitude today, was he positive, how was he playing? I think when it's your brother, even a sibling, it feels like it's you as well,” Halimah said in an interview with the Herald Sun.
“You showed why you deserve to be one of the best players in the world, particularly on this surface” - Novak Djokovic to Nick Kyrgios
Nick Kyrgios might not have been able to convert a maiden Grand Slam final appearance into his first title, but he has won many new fans, including the 21-time Major winner Novak Djokovic.
The pair, who have rarely seen eye to eye in the past, have seemingly put it all behind them as they embark upon a new, cordial relationship, as the Serb said after winning the Wimbledon title.
“I never thought I was going to say so many nice things about you, considering the relationship. OK, it's officially a bromance!” Djokovic said, adding, “It's tough to find consolation words after a tough loss like this, but you showed why you deserve to be one of the best players in the world, particularly on this surface.”
“I wish you all the best, man. I really respect you a lot. I think you are a phenomenal athlete and talent. Now everything is starting to come together for you. I'm sure we're going to see much of you in the later stages of a Grand Slam,” the Serb stated.