A candid Nick Kyrgios opened up on the “chaotic” start to his career as tennis fans got an early glimpse into the first episode of Netflix’s tennis documentary, ‘Break Point’.
The Sydney Morning Heraldand The Agewere given a sneak peek at the series, including the first episode which will be available in Australia on January 13.
Cameras follow Kyrgios around during last year’s Australian Open, where he was knocked out in the second by Daniil Medvedev before going on an inspired run to the men’s doubles title with Thanasi Kokkinakis.
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In the episode, a frank Kyrgios is captured speaking to girlfriend Costeen Hatzi about his mental health struggles and how he found ways to cope with life in the spotlight.
“The first four or five years of my career was just so chaotic,” Kyrgios is pictured telling Hatzi.
“When Horse [Horsfall] was on tour with me, when it was basically just him looking after me, he could just see my wellbeing just declining every week. My life was spiralling out of control – drinking every single night. I was like, ‘I can’t keep doing this. I have to be kinder to myself’.
“For my mental health, I could never be one of those players again that plays all year round. I couldn’t do that. I value my family, my close, close friends and Cossie too much to put tennis in front of that any more. I don’t think that’s healthy.
“I don’t really have expectations now in my matches any more. I just want to go out there, have fun, take the pressure off, and then we can try and live a more normal life. It’s much better like this, that’s for sure.”
Kyrgios is also interviewed alongside manager and close friend Daniel Horsfall, who defended the Australian in the wake of recent criticism surrounding his United Cup withdrawal.
Horsfall revealed in the first episode of the Netflix series that he had a tracking application on his phone to help find Kyrgios after nights out.
“On some mornings, I would physically have to go and find where you were,” Horsfall said.
“What hotel you were staying at, whose house you were staying at. Before tournaments … before a match.”
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Some rival players were also interviewed and asked about Kyrgios in the episode, including Stefanos Tsitsipas, who have already butted heads in the past.
Only late last month Tsitsipas cheekily quipped it was “not a surprise” that Kyrgios had withdrawn from the United Cup, having also said his Australian opponent had an “evil side” after a fiery match at Wimbledon.
When asked about Kyrgios in the Netflix series, Tsitsipas said he is “not a bad guy” but added the Australian “just becomes the devil when he enters the court”.
“He’s not a bad guy,” Tsitsipas says in Break Point. “He just becomes the devil when he enters the court.”
Kyrgios had hinted on social media late last year that he would be the headline act of the opening episode of the series, taking aim at his critics in the process.
“Haha so after all this, all the media, journalism saying how bad I am for the sport, disrespecting the game & just a pure villain, I am going to be the number 1 episode on Netflix… to grow our fan base, basically trying to put tennis on the map again,” he wrote on Twitter.
