Kyrgios named in Team World for Laver Cup

Nick Kyrgios has answered an SOS from Team World captain John McEnroe to take part in the inaugural Laver Cup against Team Europe in Prague.

Nick Kyrgios, of Australia, returns to Grigor Dimitrov.

Nick Kyrgios has replaced injured Canadian Milos Raonic in Team World for inaugural Laver Cup. (AAP)

Nick Kyrgios has smoked the peace pipe with John McEnroe and answered an SOS from the Team World captain to replace the injured Milos Raonic for the inaugural Laver Cup.

Kyrgios joins American trio John Isner, Jack Sock and Sam Querrey, Argentine Juan Martin del Potro and rising Canadian Denis Shapovalov in a big-hitting line-up to take on star-studded Team Europe in Prague from September 22-24.

"He's as bold as he is talented and I truly expect him to shake things up," McEnroe said.

"In Nick, you have an exciting young player who clearly thrives on a big stage and against the world's best players."

McEnroe, though, hasn't always thought so, famously lashing Kyrgios for his "boneheaded shot selection" and branding the mercurial Australian a "clown" during his 2015 first-round US Open loss to Andy Murray.

Kyrgios and the original tennis super-brat have engaged in a war of words ever since.

McEnroe also accused Kyrgios of giving up during another loss to Murray at Wimbledon last year before nominating the gifted Canberran as the player he'd most like to coach during the French Open in June.

"He's dreaming," was Kyrgios's response.

But the two appear to have buried the hatchet in the common goal of trying to take down the might of Team Europe.

Captained by McEnroe's great rival Bjorn Borg, Team Europe will be spearheaded by tennis titans Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal with support from young guns Alexander Zverev and Dominic Thiem, veteran Tomas Berdych and Wimbledon runner-up Maric Cilic.

Kyrgios, the world No.18 and third-highest-ranked player in Team World, has shown an uncanny ability to find his best form against the sport's biggest names.

On his Wimbledon debut in 2014, he upset the top-ranked Nadal on the All England Club's famed centre court having saved nine match points earlier in the tournament against former semi-finalist Richard Gasquet.

Now a three-time winner on the ATP Tour, the Australian No.1 has since claimed multiple wins over Novak Djokovic and upset Nadal again last week en route to his first Masters 1000 final in Cincinnati.

The exciting 22-year-old has also thrived in Davis Cup, winning every rubber he has contested in 2017 to lead Australia into the World Group semi-finals.

"I love to draw on the energy that comes from being a part of a team and I can't wait for the Laver Cup because I'll be competing with guys who are also my friends," Kyrgios said.

"When John McEnroe and I got together and he asked me to be on the team and showed such faith in me, I was delighted to accept.

"Playing for one legend in honour of another is not something we get to do often.

"And, of course, as an Australian, it's a privilege to compete at an event that honours Rod Laver. We grew up learning that he's a hugely important part of our history."


Share

3 min read

Published

Source: AAP



Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world