A lot can change in 12 months – take Nick Kyrgios.
This time last year, Kyrgios languished outside the top 100, with much of the tennis world perhaps resigned to the prospect he would never fully realise his enormous potential.
Ranked 122 at the end of January 2022, Kyrgios enters January 2023 ranked a clean 100 spots higher, sitting at world No.22.
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Even world No.22, however, doesn’t do justice to Kyrgios’ stellar and perhaps transformative 2022 season.
Despite his loss to Daniil Medvedev in the Australian Open singles – a match in which he was hardly embarrassed against the tournament favourite – Kyrgios tasted grand slam success in his fairytale run to the doubles title with Thanasi Kokkinakis.
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He took eventual Australian Open champion Rafael Nadal to three sets in an enthralling battle at the Indian Wells masters quarterfinals.
On his least favourite surface, clay, Kyrgios still managed to reach the semi-finals in Houston, losing deep into what was his sole clay court event of the year.
A semi-final run in Stuttgart on grass was followed by an identical run in Halle, during which he defeated world No.6 Stefanos Tsitsipas.
Perhaps Kyrgios’ success and unprecedented consistency had to that point gone unnoticed by much of the Australian public, whose antennae only tune into the sport during the four grand slams.
At Wimbledon, Kyrgios announced his new-found drive in a typically characteristic fashion.
He defeated wildcard Paul Jubb in the opening round in a five-set battle, during which he was fined more than $10,000 for unsportsmanlike conduct.
In the third round, Kyrgios defeated Tsitsipas once more (coming from a set down), with the Greek mentally imploding when subjected to the Kyrgios experience.
Eventually, Kyrgios would reach the final of Wimbledon following a walkover against Nadal, where he faced Novak Djokovic, who was competing for a fourth consecutive Wimbledon title.
Against the best player in the world and perhaps of all-time, Kyrgios took the first set off his opponent and very nearly forced a fifth set before going down in a fourth-set tiebreak.
Djokovic, more than anyone, understood the turning point his one-time on and off-court rival had reached.
“Nick, you’ll be back. Not just at Wimbledon, but in finals,” he said during the Centre Court post-match ceremony, before later going on to sum up how much of the tennis world now felt about the Australian.
“I think you’re a phenomenal tennis player and athlete, amazing talent.
“You’ve been hearing all of that for many years, but now everything is starting to come together for you, so I’m sure we’re going to see much of you in the later stages of grand slams.”
The fact no ranking points were awarded at Wimbledon 2022 makes Kyrgios’ current ranking an inaccurate reflection of his current spot in the tennis hierarchy.
Had points been awarded, Kyrgios – then the world No.37 – at that point would’ve been ranked No.10.
While Kyrgios sat pensive in his chair immediately following the match, it was perhaps an indication of the renewed and more focused motivation he brought into 2022.
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“He looked really disappointed there at the end,” former world No.4 Jelena Dokic said on Channel Nine in the aftermath of the match.
“In a way I have got to say, I like that he was disappointed. Because it means that he is hungry, he really wanted it and I think when he looks back on these two weeks he will be very proud of himself.
“For me, that Australian Open doubles titles with Thanasi, that was a turning point and I think this could be another one.
“After his quarterfinal, (he said) ‘I didn’t think I would make a semi. I never thought I would be in a final’… I hope that belief really kicks in. I think it really kicked in after the Australian Open when they won the doubles title.”
Kyrgios more than anyone appeared to be surprised at the progress he had made, with that reflection continuing on into the US Open.
“I didn’t think I’d be putting this amount of pressure on myself. Every day I come in, I watch what I eat, I try and get sleep. Like every practice session I try and have good intent,” Kyrgios said in September.
“I almost don’t know who I am anymore, to be honest, because that’s not me. Trying to balance so many different things out. It’s hard as well. The media, the fans are crazy everywhere I go. I’m trying to balance my personal life as well as my tennis. It’s just a lot.
“I feel like I’m really professional right now. I never thought that the Wimbledon final would make me that way. I thought it would be the other way, the reverse, almost a bit lax and a bit chilled with it.”
That pressure, of course, can be a double-edged sword and one that an expectant Australian public should keep in mind when it comes to the mental wellbeing of the 27-year-old.
Within a week of those comments, Kyrgios had stormed through to the US Open quarterfinals, exacting vengeance over Australian Open conqueror Medvedev in four sets, knocking out the top seed and tournament favourite.
As Nadal exited the tournament the following day and Djokovic remained absent due to vaccination requirements, Kyrgios became the favourite to breakthrough for his first grand slam singles title.
It made his five-set loss to lower-ranked Karen Khachanov in the quarterfinals all the more difficult to swallow.
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No matter the disappointment Australian viewers would’ve felt, it was nothing compared to the frustration Kyrgios himself experienced.
He smashed two racquets in the immediate aftermath of the match and then offered a raw insight into his mental state during his post-match press conference.
“I honestly feel like s**t,” he said.
“I feel like I’ve let so many people down. … I feel like these four tournaments (Grand Slams) are the only ones that ever are going to matter.
“It’s just like you got to start it all again. I have to wait till (the) Australian Open. It’s just devastating.”
The good news for Kyrgios is that the long, four-month wait is over.
Less positive news, however, is that Kyrgios’ preparation has been less-than-ideal, as he manages an ankle injury that has forced him to pull out of two lead-up tournaments.
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By his own admission, he also continues to feel the weight of expectation squarely on his shoulders.
“People underestimate the pressure and the nerves with being a part of one of the biggest tournaments of the year,” he told the Sydney Morning Herald this month.
“Throw in an injury and knowing you didn‘t give yourself the best chance only adds to the mountain of pressure you face.”
For Kyrgios, that pressure is only likely to increase as he enters his home slam as the clear best hope in Australian tennis, with reigning champion Ash Barty retiring after her Australian Open win last year.
There’s also signs Kyrgios is becoming more jaded with the tennis community he had fought so hard to reward in 2022.
In December, Barty took home the Newcombe Medal for the fifth consecutive time.
Posting an image of the pair’s respective years – which showed Kyrgios holding one more title and 47 more match wins across singles and doubles, he wrote: “LOL. No respect at all. I don’t give a f**k.”
Later that month, Kyrgios then took aim at “all the media, journalism saying how bad I am for the sport, disrespecting the game & just a pure villain”, pointing out his journey would be the first episode of Netflix’s upcoming tennis documentary.
His United Cup withdrawal also drew criticism from Lleyton Hewitt, who criticised an apparent lack of communication on Kyrgios’ part in the lead-up to his decision.
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Six months on from his Wimbledon final, Kyrgios’ state of body and mind is delicately poised.
Perhaps Kyrgios himself holds the best answer.
“There were just other things I couldn’t figure out along the way. I feel like my fire has been lit this whole year,” he said in the hours after the biggest match of his life.
“I’ve obviously met a lot of amazing people this year that have given me extra motivation. To find people that finally have my back, I just like being around (them), they push me to be a better person and to be a better tennis player.
“They realise I’m immensely talented and I feel like I have a lot more to do.”
