Give Kyrgios a break: Tomic's plea to fans
Jan 19, 2017 - 6:37 AM Bernard Tomic has implored Australian tennis fans to cut Nick Kyrgios some slack and appreciate his special character and talent.Already feeling like he'd let his family and country down, Kyrgios was gutted at being jeered by sections of the crowd following his second-round Australian Open capitulation on Wednesday night.
"Obviously it's not the greatest thing to hear," Kyrgios said.
"I didn't have the best preparation coming into the Australian Open. Pretty banged up, my body - (losing) 10-8 in the fifth, getting booed off, definitely not the best feeling."
Tomic copped similar treatment after quitting mid-match at the 2014 Open.
"I know how it feels because I've been booed off court before. It's not nice," the Australian No.2 said on Thursday.
"I was injured. I think the Australian public need to understand and have some sympathy a little bit for Nick.
"I was in a same position, lost the first set to Rafa (Nadal) when I lost first round here. I was 21-years-old and they booed me a bit.
"They have to understand sometimes that we might be going through some things.
"I was injured back then and he obviously got booed because a little bit of his attitude.
"But that's Nick, that's always how he has been on court. He has that in his character, that's what makes him play his own character so well."
Tomic said casual observers of tennis don't understand the grand slam stress and pressures of performing in front of millions of viewers.
"I feel that they misjudge Nick and this bad attitude they think he has," he said.
"But there are many big athletes in the world with a unique attitude that are at the top of different sports.
"He's an amazing player in the sport and is doing so well.
"He's 21. He obviously had a mistake that cost him the match, but he will learn from that."
Tomic welcomed Kyrgios's decision to finally try to recruit a coach after flying solo last year.
"You can't do this on your own. You need a good team of people around yourself," he said.
"Some players take more advice from coaches. Others don't. At the end of the day, it's how bad you want it.
"If you want to do something, if you want to work hard and succeed, you have a good shot at it if you want to do those things."
Source: AAP
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