Nick Kyrgios at Canberra Tennis Centre, Lyneham. Photo: Tennis ACT.
With Nick Kyrgios through to the Wimbledon singles final, you can imagine the thoughts of the ACT Government.
In the past, if a Canberra sports team or sportsperson has won a major sports event, the government has presented the keys of the city to the victor.
Our Olympic, Paralympic and Commonwealth Games athletes have been given street parades. The Raiders, Brumbies and UC Capitals have been similarly lauded.
We have had civic receptions for overseas-based individuals, such as Patty Mills, who have achieved significantly in their chosen sport.
If Canberra’s-own Nick Kyrgios wins the men’s Wimbledon singles final, it will certainly rank among the greatest achievements of a local sportsperson.
This is an international moment, up there with winning an Olympic gold medal or World title, potentially even bigger, so rare is Australia’s recent success in men’s singles.
No Australian male has won Wimbledon since Lleyton Hewitt in 2002. That’s ancient history.
If Kyrgios wins, will the response be similar to how we celebrated Ash Barty winning last year?
Nick Kyrgios with Canberra school children. Photo: File.
Kyrgios, though, is a different beast. His on-court behaviour is questionable, with some viewing it as unsportsmanlike. There’s also his treatment of officials and his behaviour in media conferences. His approach is one that can easily divide opinion. And the division of support appears to be generational, with greater support among younger people.
Young people gravitate toward the chaos, the anarchy and the entertainment value.
Added to the mix is the news that Kyrgios has been summonsed to appear in a Canberra court next month.
In the minds of many, this adds to the narrative, whichever side you take.
It will be fascinating to see how sports officialdom responds if he wins. Tennis in Australia will no doubt be working out how to leverage his success.
Will it lead to more children taking up the sport in a similar response to Barry’s success at Wimbledon and the Australian Open?
The way Canberra, in particular, responds to a potential Kyrgios victory will be as fascinating as the match itself.
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