"He puts bums on seats" - Wimbledon champion Max Purcell believes Kyrgios is 'great for the sport'

Although Nick Kyrgios may have his detractors, there are still several who believe the Australian is too talented to ignore, among which is countryman and Wimbledon doubles champion Max Purcell.

Purcell teamed up with fellow Aussie Mathew Ebden to lift the doubles title at the All England Club this summer, becoming the first Australian duo to be crowned champions since 2000.

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The 24-year old is measured and methodical in his speech and manner on-court, which is a stark difference to compatriot Kyrgios. That contrast in personality traits might lead one to believe Purcell doesn't have time for Kyrgios' more brash brand of play.

However, Purcell defended his compatriot and insisted Kyrgios "does a s**t ton of good," such as raising money via his charity, the Melbourne-based NK Foundation. It's a side of the athlete that receives far less media exposure than any of his on-court antics or personal life.

"Personally, I think Nick's great for the sport," said Purcell, who looks upon Kyrgios' rebellious manner as an effective form of PR. "He puts bums on seats. Every match he plays, I want to watch, especially when he plays against the top guys. Nick's just Nick.

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"He does whatever he wants, which is fine because he's a popular person. Everyone wants to watch him, everyone wants to be like him, and it's not every day you get to see a person like Nick who doesn't exactly put 100 per cent in on the practice court—or even practice that much—troubling the best players in the world, and it just shows how much talent he has. He's still, for sure, one of the most exciting players I want to watch."

In addition to winning this year's doubles title at Wimbledon, Purcell has also finished runner-up at the Australian Open men's doubles event on two occasions, in 2020 and 2022.