"That's my goal, to help tennis grow as much as I can" - Kyrgios hopes to walk the same path as Serena Williams

Nick Kyrgios is hoping to emulate Serena Williams and contribute to the growth of tennis as she has over two decades of her incredible career.

The Australian began his 2022 US Open campaign with a straight-sets win against compatriot and close friend Thanasi Kokkinakis on Monday. The 23rd seed beat Kokkinakis 6-3 6-4 7-6(4) to reach the second round, where he will face Frenchman Benjamin Bonzi.

The 27-year-old was in action at the Arthur Ashe Stadium just minutes after Williams' electrifying opening-round match that attracted a 29,402-strong crowd, the largest attendance ever recorded for an evening session at the stadium.

During his post-match on-court interview, Kyrgios stated that his goal was to help tennis grow as much as possible, similar to what the 40-year-old Williams has done over the course of her career.

"Oh yeah, I was watching Serena Williams’ match," admitted the Cranberra native. "Well, you know, I can't imagine how she's feeling and I was actually watching the match with my girlfriend in the lounge. She was really excited.

"Just the buzz that she brought, broken history with the amount of people buying tickets and viewing which is incredible. That's my goal, to grow the sport as much as I can. So hopefully Serena can keep going and I can go on as well."