For Nick Kyrgios, the grass major holds a special place. He previously made it evident as well. “It’s the first grand slam where I broke through and it’s the pinnacle of tennis.” Still, the ATP pro couldn’t make his dream come true on the Centre Court when he had a golden chance against 24-time slam king Novak Djokovic. Although it was the ultimate fight for the ‘Gentlemen’s Trophy’, Kyrgios was far from it. Quite literally. In fact, back in 2022, the Aussie star almost jeopardized his Grand Slam dream at SW19 after an aggravating episode.
In 2022, Kyrgios achieved his best singles result at Wimbledon. After his semifinal opponent, and former tennis legend, Rafael Nadal, withdrew from the event, Kyrgios got a direct entry into the summit clash on the Centre Court. In the finals, he was up against Djokovic who was a defending champion since 2018. The Aussie gained a massive momentum in the first set and clinched it too. It seemed a dream run was shaping up for the then 27-year-old ATP star. But he was facing one of the greatest of all times. Hence, the challenge was bound to get tough – and it did. The Serbian fought back hard and didn’t stop until he won three straight sets to lift his 7th Wimbledon trophy.
With a score line of 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6, he beat Kyrgios who was left frustrated and annoyed with himself. He didn’t know what to do against Djokovic’s sheer dominance. Succumbing to his blunt nature, he even threw out some expletives. During an interaction with TNT Sports at the Esports World Cup in Riyadh, he revealed, “When I played in front of the Royal Box at Wimbledon, I was throwing F-bombs.” He simply couldn’t control his disappointment and anger, that forced him to speak prohibited words at an event where the winner’s trophy belonged to the ‘Gentleman’.
Image Credits: Nick Kyrgios/Instagram
Kyrgios was also seen screaming at his box, at himself, the ball kids, the chair umpires, and the crowd. More so, in the same year, his strong persona drove his opponent Stefanos Tsitsipas into such a state that Tsitsipas mentioned that the Aussie had an “evil side.” The Australian laughed off Tsitsipas’ comments, calling his Greek opponent “soft.”
But guess what? It appears Kyrgios has realized lately that he can’t change his true nature. “It’s been a struggle to kind of fit in, but now I kind of embrace it,” the Aussie added. “I’m not going to change for anyone.”
Nevertheless, while the 30-year-old is “embracing” his personality, his potential to keep playing at the highest level has been affected due to untimely injuries. And just when he thought he was making a return this year, the world turned upside-down, again.
Nick Kyrgios’ inevitable on and off court hurdles
Back in 2023, Nick Kyrgios had to miss the entire season due to a full wrist reconstruction surgery. But if that wasn’t enough, a knee injury further ruled out his chances to step back on the court in 2024 season. Last year in late December, he finally made a return to tennis at the Brisbane International. But his comeback was short-lived with doubles partner and friend Djokovic. They lost early in the second round.
At the Australian Open this season, Kyrgios’ singles journey couldn’t last long. In the first round itself, rising talent Jacob Fearnley edged him out in straight sets. The outcome remained unchanged at the Indian Wells and Miami too.
Then in late may, he was about to make a comeback to the French Open, after eight years. Sadly, he had to pull his name while sharing an unfortunate update. He eventually withdrew from the clay slam due to a persisting knee injury. Initially, he was about to partner with compatriot Jordan Thompson for doubles.
Meanwhile, his fans also witnessed a heartbreaking transition in his private life. During a Q&A session on Instagram, in June 2025, Kyrgios confirmed his breakup with longtime girlfriend Costeen Hatzi. The early signs emerged when several fans noticed that both of them had removed each others’ initials from their respective IG bios.
During the Q&A, one fan asked the ATP pro if he will “ever talk on the split with C”, To this, Kyrgios replied, “Things happen. I wish her nothing but the best,” while adding, “So many incredible memories that will stay with me.” Coming back to his on-court challenges, they don’t appear to cease anytime soon. Last week at the Citi Open, he attempted to make a return but failed. Playing doubles with Frenchman Gael Monfils, he lost in the first round against Hugo Nys and Édouard Roger-Vasselin.
The post Nick Kyrgios Recounts Wimbledon ‘F-Bombs’ That May Have Cost Him a Grand Slam Dream appeared first on EssentiallySports.
