Nick Kyrgios has revealed the reason why he has such a large following on social media after hitting 4.2 million followers on Instagram.
The 2022 Wimbledon finalist is just behind Carlos Alcaraz, who has 4.3 million, the fourth-largest following in men's tennis. Kyrgios has been absent from the ATP Tour for most of this season due to injury but has still been very active online.
He was forced to withdraw from the Australian Open in January and missed the French Open before attempting to come back at the Stuttgart Open in June where he suffered a first-round defeat. He has not competed since, with injuries leaving him out of Wimbledon and the US Open. Kyrgios is yet to set a date for his return to the sport.
In a recent episode of the Hotboxin’ with Mike Tyson podcast, Kyrgios talked about his huge following on social media, the reasons behind it, and why it acts a source of motivation for him.
"On social media, I have, you know, one of the largest followings outside of the big three, and I feel like that’s been a big driver for me. I realized how many kids were actually looking up to me.
"I’m just relatable. Like, I am normal guy who makes normal issues. You know, I’ve had moments where I was drinking too much. I feel like I have very relatable problems," he said.
The Australian player added that he believes the Big Three of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic do not come across as "reachable" to a lot of people.
"The following, I feel that now. Like, wherever I go, I know I’m playing for a lot of people, which is cool. Because, Federer, Nadal, Djokovic, they are not reachable for a lot of people. Like these guys are not normal," he continued.
However, he also acknowledged the downside of social media and that he is not always popular with everyone online.
"I’ve been on the tour for 10 years so, I feel like my fan base is pretty solid. A lot of people hate me though, and that’s alright," he added.
Nick Kyrgios on King Kyrgios nickname: “I made my Instagram when I was 10 years old & that was my handle. I haven’t changed it since. When I beat Federer, Djokovic, & Nadal the 1st time on my 1st try. I guess that nickname stuck in tennis world… It's almost like a villain.”
