"Not everyone needs to be Federer" - Kyrgios' Davis cup teammate comes to the Australian's defense

Nick Kyrgios has always been at the center of controversy, whether it's due to his antics and outbursts on court or his social media interactions with other tennis players.

This has led to him garnering the reputation of a 'bad boy', with critics believing the Australian lacks the discipline to unlock his full potential and take the next step on the tennis court. However, Sam Groth, Kyrgios'  former Davis Cup and now Television commentator, believes his compatriot is doing just fine.

“What’s taking the next step, though?” said Groth in response to whether Kyrgios could take the next step in his career. “Winning grand slams or becoming the box office superstar everyone wants to watch whether you like him or not?

"Not everyone needs to be Roger Federer. It’s hard for people to understand that when you have that opportunity put in front of you like Nick does. He mightn’t finish with a stack of grand slams and records — but he’ll have a lot of zeros in the bank.”

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Kyrgios has an estimated net worth of $13 million. His appearance fees for ATP 500 and 250 events are said to be enormous because organizers know he puts bottoms on seats. He has a growing portfolio of sponsors, including Nike.

Kyrgios has certainly been box office at the Australian Open in the last two years. An average national audience of about 1.2 million viewers have watched him play. The peak is 1.8 million. Furthermore, he consistently outrates matches featuring Federer, Nadal and Ash Barty. Last year’s fourth-round match against Nadal peaked at 3.362 million.

“People can hate him, but they still turn up to watch him because he’s ridiculous talent,” Groth says. “Or see him lose his shit.”

Kyrgios will kick off his US Open campaign on Tuesday, with a first round clash against World No.21 Roberto Bautista Agut.