So much wisdom in this episode. Appreciate @patrickmouratoglou for sitting down with me for the latest episode of GOOD TROUBLE. Audio out now. Video tomorrow.
"I think I was one of the hardest workers" - Kyrgios fires back on Mouratoglou suggesting he got by mostly on talent
ATPFriday, 31 May 2024 at 01:30
Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios wants fans to know he has never shied away from hard work, following comment's made by Patrick Mouratoglou. The French coach suggested Kyrgios has relied more on talent that hard work for the majority of his career.
Mouratoglou made an appearance on the latest episode of Kyrgios' Good Trouble Podcast. During the episode, Kyrgios asked Mouratoglou for any advice. to which the renown coach stated the Aussie star he had the 'syndrome of a talented player'.
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"I feel you have what I call the syndrome of the talented player. And I'm going to explain what I mean by that,” said Mouratoglou. “So probably since you're a kid, everyone says to you that you're very talented. So now it's part of you. It's part of your identity to be talented. And the question is, for someone like you is, are you prepared to potentially lose a piece of your identity, to be talented, to be a champion, but you're not sure be you'll be a champion.
“So that's exactly I think the battle that is inside you is do I take the risk to lose my identity as a talented player? Because if I really try it, I don't make it, maybe I'm not talented. That's a big risk and it's tough. And I understand that, that battling inside, I've worked with other talented players. I've worked with Grigori, for example, who's been told also the same.
"And all these bad attitudes, I mean, what people call bad attitudes, tanking matches, not fighting, not working or not working really fully, doing things halfway. Are if you look at the players who do that, it's only talented players. And that's the reason why. Because in a way they keep their identity as being talented. whereas if they do everything right and it doesn't work, maybe they lose it."
“So that's exactly I think the battle that is inside you is do I take the risk to lose my identity as a talented player? Because if I really try it, I don't make it, maybe I'm not talented. That's a big risk and it's tough. And I understand that, that battling inside, I've worked with other talented players. I've worked with Grigori, for example, who's been told also the same.
"And all these bad attitudes, I mean, what people call bad attitudes, tanking matches, not fighting, not working or not working really fully, doing things halfway. Are if you look at the players who do that, it's only talented players. And that's the reason why. Because in a way they keep their identity as being talented. whereas if they do everything right and it doesn't work, maybe they lose it."
Kyrgios seemed perplexed by Mouratoglou's comments, as the former World No.13 responded by stating he had never shied away from working hard throughout his career.
"Interesting, interesting. I've never heard this before," revealed the former Wimbledon runner-up. "When people say, you know, you're talented and you haven't had to work as hard, I look back at my journey and I think I was one of the hardest workers in the academy when we were here in Melbourne.
"I was here like five, six hours a day, two sessions, gym, and I felt like I was a harder worker than most of the people in here. I think just obviously what I did off the court didn't show that, you know, to the fans and you know how I am, you know, in general, I'm very relaxed. I don't take myself too seriously.
"So, I think [they think], Oh, he doesn't work hard. But I feel like when I'm on court, you know, I'm working pretty hard. So, I would like to lose that. I don't like going around and only people thinking, Oh, he's just one of the most talented players ever. I still have to deal with it. I go on social media, it's like, Oh, he's a waste of talent. It’s like, I don't want to have that title. But it's definitely, an interesting way to think about it. I've never thought about it that way before."
"I was here like five, six hours a day, two sessions, gym, and I felt like I was a harder worker than most of the people in here. I think just obviously what I did off the court didn't show that, you know, to the fans and you know how I am, you know, in general, I'm very relaxed. I don't take myself too seriously.
"So, I think [they think], Oh, he doesn't work hard. But I feel like when I'm on court, you know, I'm working pretty hard. So, I would like to lose that. I don't like going around and only people thinking, Oh, he's just one of the most talented players ever. I still have to deal with it. I go on social media, it's like, Oh, he's a waste of talent. It’s like, I don't want to have that title. But it's definitely, an interesting way to think about it. I've never thought about it that way before."
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