Nick Kyrgios has indicated he is already planning for his next job when his tennis playing career winds down.
It has proved to be a difficult period in the one-time Wimbledon finalist’s life after he was told by surgeons he may have to retire when he went under the knife for wrist and knee surgeries.
His lengthy spell away from the court has forced Kyrgios to reflect on what he wants to do after tennis.
And the 29-year-old has revealed his ambition to enter coaching in some capacity, having already discussed the possibility with a tongue-in-cheek moment with Jordan Thompson, one of his close friends on the ATP Tour.
When asked if he could see himself as a coach, Kyrgios told the Australian Open’s ‘AO Show’ podcast: “Possibly. Me and Jordan Thompson always joked about me and him taking kids away on a tour, and we would be the coaches.
“That would be a fun tour, I would probably do it at some stage.”
Kyrgios spent time in the commentary box with the BBC during Wimbledon and also joined the ESPN team for their coverage of the US Open in September.
His entertaining comments have been warmly received, with Kyrgios viewed as a refreshing voice and delivering fascinating insight from his playing days.
His brief stint behind the microphone helped him appreciate how to analyse players and insists his appreciation of the tough demands on tennis players means he is not as critical as other commentators.
“I actually do enjoy watching [tennis], obviously from a commentating standpoint, I enjoy watching,” Kyrgios added. “And I’m not a very critical commentator.
“I don’t like when commentators beat down or are too critical because it’s not easy out there in today’s day and age, it’s so physical.
“But I enjoy giving people tactical advice and then trying to see them execute that. I think I could see myself one day doing that. Yeah, it’s a bit of fun.”
For now, Kyrgios is targeting a comeback on the court after recovering from wrist and knee surgeries that has kept him sidelined for two years.
He is hoping to be fit in time to enter the Australian Open, his home tournament, which begins on January 6, 2025. Kyrgios will play at an exhibition event next month before returning to the tennis tour at the Brisbane International next year.
“Honestly, this is probably the best I’ve felt in two years,” he said. “I played that amazing year in 2022.
“Then at the finals in Wimbledon and US Open, that’s when I started feeling some issues in my wrist. I had that wrist reconstruction and now I’m feeling amazing.
