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Kyrgios anoints Stepanek as future coach

Coachless Nick Kyrgios says he'd be more than willing to give a player like Radek Stepanek a mentoring role after ousting the crafty Czech from Wimbledon.

3 min read

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Source: AAP


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Radek Stepanek has agreed to happily consider taking up Nick Kyrgios's offer to maybe join the Australian's entourage when he retires.

But Kyrgios may be waiting a while after the crafty Czech declared his intention to play on for at least another three years following his first-round Wimbledon loss to the 15th seed on Tuesday.

Kyrgios outgunned Stepanek 6-4 6-3 6-7 (9-11) 6-1 to safely move into the second round before nominating the the 37-year-old as a possible future travelling mentor.

The coachless Kyrgios has been taking advice from Stepanek for a while now already and says he enjoys their friendship.

"It just sort of happened," Kyrgios said.

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"I mean, I don't really know what I want yet with a coach. So, for me, just to have him give me advice here and there while his career is still going.

"You never know, when he stops, he might step into a role where I might bring him along to tournaments. I don't know.

"I'm more than willing to give it a go with a guy like that, that has had such great success for a long time."

But while Stepanek said he'd certainly be interested in helping Kyrgios on a more formal basis, it wouldn't be any time soon.

"Definitely I'm not thinking about retiring," he said.

"We set a goal with my condition coach that Jimmy Connors was the oldest one winning a match at a grand slam.

"Now I'm the second oldest so definitely it would be great if I could get that crown as well."

Given Connors' last grand slam victory came the day before his 40th birthday, Stepanek could be playing on until the 2019 Australian Open.

"Why not?" he said.

He also said why not to helping Kyrgios down the track, saying the 21-year-old has all the tools to be a grand slam force for years to come.

"We talked a few times together and I think Nick has a great potential," he said.

"He has everything for the game and we'll see where the life's going to take us.

"If the day comes when he's going to believe that I can help him, then why not?"

"Obviously he has a great game for grass court, based on (an) incredible serve. He can get a lot of easy points."


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