Tennis Champion Nick Kyrgios Opens Up On His Darkest Days "No one knew..."

Nick Kyrgios 0:00 My whole life now revolves around what I've achieved on the court. But then if I could do it again, I wouldn't ever wanna pick up a racket.

Jay Shetty 0:06 Is one of the greatest players in the world.

Speaker 0:07 Winner of seven tour singles title.

Jay Shetty 0:09 Nick Kyrgios.

Nick Kyrgios 0:10 I literally wanted to end my life, and now I'm just here and enjoying it. So-

Jay Shetty 0:15 Yeah

Nick Kyrgios 0:15 ... everything's just, it's all a bonus. [gentle music]

Jay Shetty 0:24 Before we jump into this episode, I'd like to invite you to join this community to hear more interviews that will help you become happier, healthier, and more healed. All I want you to do is click on the subscribe button. I love your support. It's incredible to see all your comments, and we're just getting started. I can't wait to go on this journey with you. Thank you so much for subscribing. It means the world to me.

Speaker 0:46 The bestselling author and host.

Nick Kyrgios 0:48 The number one health and wellness podcast.

Speaker 0:50 On Purpose with Jay Shetty.

Jay Shetty 0:54 Externally, you've had what looks like a love-hate relationship with tennis.

Nick Kyrgios 0:58 Yep.

Jay Shetty 0:59 And at this point, you're injured. You've been away from the game.

Nick Kyrgios 1:02 Yep.

Jay Shetty 1:03 I'm intrigued to understand how has your relationship with the game changed when you haven't been able to play it?

Nick Kyrgios 1:10 This is a tough one for me 'cause when I step away from the sport for so long, I actually don't miss it. So that's scary for me. You know, most athletes, when they get pulled away from their sport, injury or take time off, they're, like, really hungry to get back. With me, it's like I've always kinda known that life has so many, so many cool things about it, w- you know? And tennis, you know, we're traveling seven, eight months a year. I barely see my family and my friends. And during this time, it's like I get to see, spend time with my partner more, my family, do all these things that I've been missing out on. It's like, wow, this, my life's amazing now. But, you know, I do miss t- playing tennis a bit. You know, it's all I've ever known since I was seven years old. You know, my family loves it. You know, all my friends, you know, know me as Nick Kyrgios, tennis player. So I do miss it a little bit, but at the same time, I've, I've really enjoyed the time off.

Jay Shetty 1:52 Yeah. I'm glad to hear that. It's good to, good for the honesty-

Nick Kyrgios 1:55 Yeah, yeah

Jay Shetty 1:55 ... I think. You know? Like, people, people forget that we're human and-

Nick Kyrgios 1:58 Yeah

Jay Shetty 1:58 ... we need a break sometimes.

Jay Shetty 2:00 What's your earliest childhood memory that you think has defined who you are today?

Nick Kyrgios 2:06 Well, I hated tennis when I was young. So, you know, I was v- very chubby, overweight as a kid, and my mum kinda, she, she was like, "Okay, we gotta get you doing some, some, some sport or be active." So she dragged me down to the local tennis courts, and I remember I was crying all day. Hated it. Didn't wanna be there. Anyway, I gave it a chance for, like, you know, a couple weeks, couple months, and the coach was like, "Oh, he's picking it up pretty quickly." And then that was, I guess that was a defining moment because ever since that coach said that, it's like my father and my mum put everything into tennis, you know? They sacrificed... You know, my dad and my mum had nothing growing up, and I guess they kinda saw me as the person in the family to, to eventually, you know, try and make it and, and help, and help them out and help the family out. So look, tennis was, it was such a interesting journey. You know, I never thought... You know, I was 17, 18, still in school, and people were telling me, "You could really do something." And I never took myself seriously enough to one day be on the tour beating people like Djokovic, Nadal, Federer. It was just never in my mind, and then all of a sudden it just happened, and my life changed. It's like I have big imposter syndrome. Like, I'm sitting here, I watch you in my bed in my house in Canberra. I'm watching you, and then now all of a sudden I'm here having a conversation. Like, that's just, for me, it's crazy.

Jay Shetty 3:14 Well, dude, I feel the same with you. [laughs]

Nick Kyrgios 3:15 [laughs]

Jay Shetty 3:16 I'm watching you play all the major tournaments and watching you on Break Point, and I still have to pinch myself that I get to do this. So the feeling is very mutual-

Nick Kyrgios 3:24 For sure

Jay Shetty 3:24 ... and I want you to know that, too. Like... And, and, you know, a big part of that for me watching you is I think, and I chose not to introduce you this way, but I think a lot of people would

Jay Shetty 3:35 introduce you as the bad boy of tennis. How does that title make you feel today?

Nick Kyrgios 3:41 Yeah, it's been hard. That's one thing the media's done. They've branded me as, you know, pff, I don't know. Like, I'm, I'm crazy, I'm a bad boy. But my family and my f- closest people know that I'm quite generous, I'm quite caring. I'm intellectually switched on. I like having deep conversations, and I've, I try my best to make other people feel comfortable. Like, I know what it's like to be overweight, insecure. Like, I, I love when I see kids that are a bit like, I guess, myself at a younger age. I love that. I go up to them. I make them feel, "Look, if I can do it, you can do it." So that's been one of the hardest things in my career is, like, everyone I meet thinks that I'm just a, you know, a bad person. I've got crazy temper. But then off the court, I'm, it's like a c- complete opposite person, and it's been really, really hard to shake that, and it's taken years. Like, only now I feel like people kinda understand how I am on the court and how I am off the court, but it's been, it's been hard.

Jay Shetty 4:31 How early did that title set in? Like, that idea of Nick Kyrgios meltdown again. Nick Kyrgios break-

Nick Kyrgios 4:39 Yep

Jay Shetty 4:39 ... breaks a racket. Like, whatever. Like, how early did that set in, and how did that impact it?

Nick Kyrgios 4:45 Um, probably the first couple years I was on tour. Um, and that was almost 11 years ago, and it's been an uphill battle ever since. You know, everyone thinks that I'm that type of person, but I, it's like I've gone through my whole life trying to prove to people that that's not me, and it's been really hard. Like, all the media backlash, the negativity, all the negativity on my family, my partner. Like, it's not, it hasn't been so easy to navigate. Um, but I think getting older and growing through it and getting thick skin, I've kinda given up trying to, you know, make everyone understand who I am 'cause it's exhausting, and it's, I don't think it's possible. Everyone's gonna have their opinions, but it's taken a toll. Like, I'm definitely a bit tired of being branded that. And it's sad in a way because people only really wanna get to meet me to meet that side of me, which is not how I actually am as a person.

Jay Shetty 5:32 How much of it early on was self-inflicted versus was that just you trying to deal with the pressure and the stress? Like, why did that... I've, so I've met you just now.

Nick Kyrgios 5:43 Yep.

Jay Shetty 5:44 You're smiling.

Nick Kyrgios 5:44 Yep.

Jay Shetty 5:44 You're easy to be around.

Nick Kyrgios 5:46 Yep.

Jay Shetty 5:46 You're chill. You're cool. When we were messaging, I was telling my team, I was, "This guy seems like one of the nicest guys."

Nick Kyrgios 5:50 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 5:51 Like, s- e- everything you just said.

Nick Kyrgios 5:52 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 5:53 But then when someone watches you on the court or watches you in a press interview, you could be intimidating.

Jay Shetty 6:00 How much of that became a persona you felt you ended up playing versus where did it actually start? Was it that you were stressed and there was pressure, or?

Nick Kyrgios 6:08 Well, I guess, yeah. When I'm on court, I turn into a different person. Like, I love competing, and it's like I hate losing. And I guess when I w- even when I was a younger kind of kid, on the court I always carried my emotions. I would cry on court, I would scream, I would just... I'd love to compete and hate to lose. And I guess I never changed. Like, whether it's me now, I don't cry on court now, but I still am very emotional, and I just, it just shows how much I care. I feel like it was a way for me to outlet the pressure, you know, get angry or smash a racket. But the thing is, tennis can go for four, five hours. A match can go for four, five hours. And then for that small snippet of time, 20 seconds, 30 seconds, I'm losing my, losing my mind, and that's all they're showing. Like, if you just show 30 minutes of a four-hour match, then everyone's gonna assume, "Oh, that's how he's carrying on for four hours." Like, the majority of the time I'm well-behaved, great competitor, respecting my opponent. And then I look, I turn on, you know, so the TV, it's just me smashing a racket, and I'm like, I can't control that. And it's been, it's been hard. Like, most of the time I am how I am now, but it's, it's been a tough one.

Jay Shetty 7:07 Yeah. You were saying, I've, I've watched how you talked about how it's impacted you, it's impacted how people communicate with your girlfriend.

Nick Kyrgios 7:14 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 7:14 Like, the kind of backlash that you receive.

Nick Kyrgios 7:17 Yep.

Jay Shetty 7:18 What has been the, the darkest, hardest period of dealing with that? Whether it may be a media narrative or, uh, fans reaching out, whatever it may be.

Nick Kyrgios 7:26 Yeah. In 2019 was... I've opened up about the, some of the darkest periods of my life, and I just... It was so accessible, all these negative comments. You know, you go on your phone now, you open up social media, Instagram, Twitter, all this, and I'd just see millions of messages that were negative, negative about my family. Like, just things that I feel like I didn't ever really listen, listen to, but they just went into the back of my mind and, and subconsciously they're just there. And then when things start happening, you're like, "Maybe they're right." You start doubting yourself, and I feel like that's what I fell into, was like-

Jay Shetty 7:56 Mm

Nick Kyrgios 7:56 ... "Oh, maybe they are right." And then I started feeling really negatively about myself, and I started all these bad habits happening, and it was, it was impossible for me to deal with. I was 19 at the time when this all started happening, and I wasn't prepared for such a, I guess such a hard time. Like, I was just enjoying myself. I had normal friends, and then I went from being in school to now being on the global stage in the spotlight, and it was just impossible for me to deal with. I never really dealt with it, uh, in a healthy way at all.

Jay Shetty 8:24 Yeah. You talked about,

Jay Shetty 8:25 in Break Point, about drugs, alcohol, isolating yourself.

Nick Kyrgios 8:31 Yep.

Jay Shetty 8:31 You talk about even considering attempting suicide.

Nick Kyrgios 8:36 Yep.

Jay Shetty 8:36 And then we hear that you locked into a psych ward, but we don't really realize what you went through. Like, walk us through what it felt like to be Nick Kyrgios in 2019.

Nick Kyrgios 8:48 Yeah, it's just a... I think about those times, and I don't necessarily feel sad about them or happy about them, it's just like that part of my life is over, and it's just a mess. Like, I think about that time, I just was not thinking clearly. I was drinking every night. You know, just at the, at the time I thought it was just fun, but it wasn't fun. It was just self-inflicted pain, and I was... had friends around me telling me it wasn't healthy, and I ignored them. And then I'd found myself going to a psych- psychiatric ward in London, and I had to play Nadal the next day. And these are the things, like everyone would assume that I was doing fine. I was answering questions. And they told me that I should stay in this psychiatric ward for two weeks and be re- reassessed, and I was playing Nadal the next day. [laughs] It's like I, I, I looked at myself, I was like, "I c- I can't do this. I have to somehow change these habits." So, and I had self-harm everywhere. I had to wear an arm sleeve on the, on center court at Wimbledon, and no one knew any of these problems. And it was, it was hard. And I look back and I just don't know how I neck, like, got out of it, to be honest. I was such a mess. And the worst thing was the media. I was having decent results during that time, and the media was like, "Okay, is this the new Nick Kyrgios? Is this the Nick Kyrgios?" And I was like, "This is the darkest period of my life." There was a tournament in Mexico, Acapulco, where I was thinking about, I was having suicidal thoughts and, you know, I was just on the balcony of my hotel, and I was genuinely thinking about it. And my team was like, "All right, we've gotta play in 10 minutes." Ended up going out on court, played amazing, won the tournament. And everyone globally was thinking, "Wow, is this the person that we've all been waiting for?" When I was really on the brink of, of everything. And that's so scary, 'cause no one else knew what was going on. It was really hard.

Jay Shetty 10:24 I mean, that paradox of-

Nick Kyrgios 10:26 Yeah

Jay Shetty 10:26 ... feeling that way and then having to play the biggest games, and then even winning some of them.

Nick Kyrgios 10:31 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 10:32 But then feeling that way when you're off court again.

Nick Kyrgios 10:35 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 10:36 That sounds like one of the most difficult... Like, just, just listening to you right now, I'm listening to that going, I was just putting myself in that position thinking of you sitting, standing there at the balcony. Like, I can't imagine what's going through your mind.

Jay Shetty 10:49 How did you break through that? Like, how did, how was that not the end? Because I feel there's so many people listening right now who might be feeling like you were then.

Nick Kyrgios 10:58 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 10:58 And I want you to talk to them. I want them to hear you right now because I want this to be the message that they say, "That got me through it."

Nick Kyrgios 11:06 Um, it just, everyone... I felt like I was very selfish at that time. It was, I was always giving into my feelings, which weren't, they were probably valid. But I felt like I was playing just based on how I felt. And then I looked back at millions of fans that I have and that I... You know, for instance, there was a Make-A-Wish kid that I met up with a week and a half ago. He's probably got six months to live. And then I realized that those types of people that look up to me and really want me to succeed, that's who I started playing for. So family, these, like, kids, the, the future generation. That's the reason why. I probably would've retired and probably stopped playing, you know, a couple years ago if, if I just kept playing on how I was feeling. But then I realized I've got a whole contingent of fans worldwide that wanna see me succeed. So that's why I love playing now. Like, I play for them. But that's what got me out of it. I started feeling like I've got a lot more to give. Not, not for me, like I've already proved to myself that I can play tennis. But for all those people out there, like, if I can do it. Like, you look at Djokovic, Federer, Nadal, like these people are gods in my eyes. Like, they're super professional. Djokovic takes care of his diet daily. I was not doing any of these things and still getting to that level. So I think if just the inspiration for other people got me out of that. But it was really, those times are... And there are definitely times now where I think about those moments and I'm, I get, I still get a bit emotional on it. Like, Break Point obviously showed interviews with my, my sister and my father and my best friend, and they break down into tears, and that just shows how emotional that time was, 'cause they could just see me spiraling out of control. And I, I hadn't, I didn't think it was okay to just step back and not play. I had, I kept thinking I had to force myself to get out there. Yeah, it definitely was traumatizing.

Jay Shetty 12:45 How much did it mean to you that they stood by you?

Nick Kyrgios 12:48 Yeah, I mean, I probably owe them my life, to be honest. You know, they were standing by me through reckless behavior, and that's what I'm... Everything, that's what I mean. Like, people now, I go on social media and they're like, "Oh, you're a waste of talent," or, "Why are you not playing?" Or, "Why are you not doing this?" And I'm, everything I'm doing now is just a bonus. Like, being here speaking to Jay Shetty for me is just, that's like a, it's like all a bonus. Like, every day, I, I just don't think about the past, I don't think about the future. I just live every day, day by day. And I just, everything I'm doing now is just a bonus. Like, 'cause I was so, so depressed and so sad and, like, I literally wanted to end my life. And now I just, I'm just here and enjoying it. So-

Jay Shetty 13:27 Yeah

Nick Kyrgios 13:28 ... everything's just, it's all a bonus.

Jay Shetty 13:30 Yeah. That's a beautiful way to live.

Nick Kyrgios 13:32 Yeah. It is. It is.

Jay Shetty 13:32 To know that. Yeah, it's a beautiful mindset to live in.

Nick Kyrgios 13:35 Yeah. Just stay, I just stay on my feet. I don't think about the past or I don't, I'm not a big planner anymore because I just don't know. Anything can be taken away just like that.

Jay Shetty 13:44 Yeah. I mean, I think listening to you, it's so interesting, right? When we have views on athletes especially, where we're like, "Oh, you could have been this-

Nick Kyrgios 13:53 Yeah

Jay Shetty 13:53 ... and you could have been the next greatest, and you could have been..." Whatever it may be. And the challenge is you have no idea what that person's going through.

Nick Kyrgios 14:01 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 14:01 You have no idea what's worrying that person. And I think everyone almost projects their own insecurities onto everyone else, where we also feel like we have so much potential that never got seen-

Nick Kyrgios 14:14 Yeah

Jay Shetty 14:14 ... that never got untapped. And to almost live in the way you're living now, which is like, I'm already living in bonus land.

Nick Kyrgios 14:20 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 14:21 I mean, I, I feel like that in so many ways in my life where I am able to do things today that I couldn't even have imagined as a kid.

Nick Kyrgios 14:29 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 14:29 And we can actually, we have a lot in common growing up because I was, and I heard you say this, and I felt the same way. I was this, I was a short, brown, fat kid-

Nick Kyrgios 14:38 Yeah

Jay Shetty 14:38 ... growing up at school.

Nick Kyrgios 14:39 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 14:40 And so when you talked about that in Break Point, I felt exactly the same way-

Nick Kyrgios 14:44 Yeah

Jay Shetty 14:44 ... where I was bullied for it.

Nick Kyrgios 14:46 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 14:46 I was beaten up for it. I was criticized for it. And when I look at my life today, I'm like, I get to do things that I didn't ever think were possible.

Nick Kyrgios 14:55 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 14:55 So I'm already living in bonus world.

Nick Kyrgios 14:57 And you're so grateful for it.

Jay Shetty 14:58 So grateful for it.

Nick Kyrgios 14:59 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 14:59 So grateful for it, beyond. And whether I reach the potential what people think I should do or whether I don't, I'm already living in that gratitude.

Nick Kyrgios 15:07 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 15:08 With you, when you're playing at the top level and there is that feeling, so when you find out you're gonna make it, you've made it through to the final of Wimbledon-

Nick Kyrgios 15:18 Yeah

Jay Shetty 15:18 ... walk me through what the feeling is when you know, like, I've made it through to the final of Wimbledon.

Nick Kyrgios 15:24 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 15:25 Like, which is the biggest stage, the biggest moment. You've made it through. What does that feel like?

Nick Kyrgios 15:30 I was laughing inside. Like, I was, I had Novak Djokovic behind me, uh, the royal family watching me play, and there's like guards there, and I'm just like thinking to myself, I, I don't, this shouldn't be me. Like, the way that everything had panned out, it was like I just thought it was all a joke. I was like, this is incredible. How, how am I here in this moment in time? And yeah, I was w- I was walking out to the court and I just, yeah, like, it's like every single thing that I'd gone through, training, family sacrifice, it all... That's the one time in my life where everything made sense. Everything made sense. Every gym session, conditioning session, every good meal I decided to eat was all equal to that moment in time. And it's like I didn't sleep the night before, and then as soon as I stepped on court, all those feelings went away. It was like, okay, I'm now, I'm home. And then I, I lost the match, but I played incredible. It was a great final. But I just remember seeing the doors open real slowly, and I saw every blade of grass the same length, and I just walked out there and it was just like home. And then that was it. I just, I'm not disappointed that I lost the match. Obviously, I would love to have a Wimbledon crown, but it was all a bonus. Like, the fact that I was just walking out, Novak's behind me, the royal family's there. Like, Nick Kyrgios making it that far? Ridiculous.

Jay Shetty 16:43 When I hear you speak, you speak like every, almost like real, it's almost like that childlike feeling-

Nick Kyrgios 16:51 Yeah

Jay Shetty 16:51 ... of like you're still living in that childlike moment or-

Nick Kyrgios 16:54 Yeah

Jay Shetty 16:54 ... childlike feeling of what that would have felt like. Where sometimes we grow up too soon-

Nick Kyrgios 16:58 Yeah

Jay Shetty 16:58 ... and we almost can't experience it that way. Like when you just said you saw every blade of grass

Jay Shetty 17:04 being the same.

Nick Kyrgios 17:04 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 17:05 Like, even that mindfulness, like watching the doors.

Nick Kyrgios 17:07 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 17:07 The fact that you can visualize it-

Nick Kyrgios 17:09 Yeah

Jay Shetty 17:09 ... it means you are so present. What goes through your mind during the game when it's not going your way? Like, what happens when you start losing a point or when you know you could have made something and you didn't? Like, what's going through your mind at that time?

Nick Kyrgios 17:23 Just competing. Like, just trying to get the best out of myself. Like, I guess people when they watch me play are like, "Why you get so angry?" It's like, there's millions of dollars on the line, so many hours of work put in, and I'm just trying to like do the best I can in that moment in time. Like, people when they see me, I guess, getting angry or doing whatever, they're like, "Oh, he doesn't care." It's like, I think I care too much at times on the result. And coaches always told me like, "Don't care about the result too much." But in my life and my experience, if you don't win at the end of the day... Like, I wouldn't be here. If I, if I didn't win majority of tennis matches, I wouldn't be sitting here. So I know the importance of winning. But at the same time, I guess I just, I'm just so involved in every little bit of effort's been... I know my, my family's effort, my support crew. I want everyone in my team to feel that I care the most and I want su- like success for all of us. Not, I don't care about just me. Like, my physio's there, my partner's there, my best friend, my agent. Like, we're, we're all contingent, and that's why I guess I love the team environment a little bit more.

Jay Shetty 18:19 Yeah.

Nick Kyrgios 18:20 But tennis is, people just think, "Oh, you're o- you're on your own out there." But it's like, there's so much more than just me. Like, everyone's put so much work in to get here.

Jay Shetty 18:27 So your anger's actually your care

Nick Kyrgios 18:29 Exactly. I wanted to win Wimbledon so then, like, my whole team, like, can share that with me. I, I don't really care. Like, I actually don't really care. And I, I wanted to win Wimbledon so I could just shut everyone up, and so I could be just left alone. So if I'm at home and I'm actually having a beer or I'm just chilling, people will just, "Oh, what are you doing?" I'm like, "I won Wimbledon." Like, you can't tell me anything. You're in, like, you're immortal in that tennis world, you know?

Jay Shetty 18:51 Yeah.

Nick Kyrgios 18:51 Like, I made the final and people still criticize me. I feel like if I'd won that, maybe it would stop.

Jay Shetty 18:56 So you feel like when you're playing-

Nick Kyrgios 18:59 Yep

Jay Shetty 18:59 ... you're trying to win because you feel so many people have invested in you-

Nick Kyrgios 19:02 Yep

Jay Shetty 19:03 ... and so many people believe in you-

Nick Kyrgios 19:04 Yep

Jay Shetty 19:05 ... the people that you care about.

Nick Kyrgios 19:06 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 19:07 And that you almost wanna win for them.

Nick Kyrgios 19:10 Yes, and to shut everyone else up as well.

Jay Shetty 19:12 [laughs]

Nick Kyrgios 19:13 That would be nice.

Jay Shetty 19:13 [laughs] I'm excited to see you go on and win a few. Like, I, I th- I think you have the potential and the ability and, you know, the mindset to go and do it. But

Jay Shetty 19:23 when you go and win, you know as well as I do that that still won't shut people up.

Nick Kyrgios 19:27 I know that.

Jay Shetty 19:27 [laughs] You know that.

Nick Kyrgios 19:28 I know. I just... It's just false hope, I guess.

Jay Shetty 19:30 What is that false hope? Walk me through that because I think that's real. I think we all feel, right? This is, this is, this is the hypothesis. We all feel that there's something we can do that will finally convince people of who we are, and we're all waiting in our own way to do that thing. For you, it may be a game of tennis.

Nick Kyrgios 19:51 Yep.

Jay Shetty 19:52 For someone else, it might be a promotion. For someone, it will be graduating with a particular degree.

Nick Kyrgios 19:58 Yep.

Jay Shetty 19:58 For s- me, it will be interviewing someone, whatever. Like, we all have that thing where we think, "When I do this, then people will say I made it."

Nick Kyrgios 20:06 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 20:07 Why is that?

Nick Kyrgios 20:09 I don't know. I feel like if people really understood my journey, then they wouldn't be so pushy, I think. And, like, if I just sat down with all my haters and we had, like, a nice meal together and I gave them my side of the story, I think they'd have a better understanding and they wouldn't be so, like... They wouldn't criticize or be so, like, aggressive towards me on social media or just in general. So I feel like maybe if I do win Wimbledon, and, like, it's... I was so close, and I don't even really love the sport. Like, I'm only doing this because I love taking care of my family, my, my people, and I wanna do this so I can prove that no matter how much more of an underdog you are, you can achieve something, like winning Wimbledon. Like, that's... I never thought in my mind that I would be capable of doing that. And I... Look, may- you are right. I know that even if I did that, people are gonna be like, "All right, now do it again." And it's just like, that's, I guess that's the rat race of, of life. You know, how much is enough? And I feel like I'm very content with my life, man. I have more than enough to enjoy, and so if it was up to me, I, I probably would- I don't really wanna play anymore, to be honest. But I, I have to almost. I've got so much more to give. But for me, I'm, I'm, I don't, I don't feel like playing anymore.

Jay Shetty 21:17 And that's not your way of taking the pressure off.

Nick Kyrgios 21:18 No, it's not.

Jay Shetty 21:19 No, no.

Nick Kyrgios 21:19 Like, I'm, I'm exhausted. I'm tired. And, you know, I have had three surgeries now that... I'm only 28 years old. I always wanted to be able to have a family and, and not be in pain when... When I get up, I can't walk without pain. So it's, it's a tough gig. It's tough.

Jay Shetty 21:34 I appreciate the realness because it's that, you know, there's a couple of things that come to mind. The first thing that comes to mind for me is always I'm a Cristiano Ronaldo fan-

Nick Kyrgios 21:44 Yep

Jay Shetty 21:44 ... through and through. Like-

Nick Kyrgios 21:45 Yep

Jay Shetty 21:45 ... um, if anyone asks me CR7 or Messi-

Nick Kyrgios 21:47 Yep

Jay Shetty 21:47 ... I'm CR7 all the way.

Nick Kyrgios 21:50 Yep.

Jay Shetty 21:50 He's the example for me of you can achieve everything-

Nick Kyrgios 21:53 Yep

Jay Shetty 21:53 ... and there'll still be 50% of people-

Nick Kyrgios 21:56 Who think that someone else is better

Jay Shetty 21:57 ... yeah, someone else is better. And not even just better. They think you're not even in the-

Nick Kyrgios 22:01 Yeah

Jay Shetty 22:01 ... conversation. Like, there's a 50% of people who will be like, "Well, CR7 doesn't even make it into the top two conversation."

Nick Kyrgios 22:07 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 22:08 And it's bizarre that you can even feel that way. And so that, I look at it through that perspective where I'm like, "This guy's won everything."

Nick Kyrgios 22:14 Yep.

Jay Shetty 22:15 He's inspired pretty much every next generation of football players-

Nick Kyrgios 22:19 Yeah

Jay Shetty 22:19 ... in the world, yet there are people who have an issue with him.

Nick Kyrgios 22:23 Mm.

Jay Shetty 22:23 And blows my mind. And then at the same time, what you're talking about, the reality, I appreciate you saying, "I'm exhausted. It's hard." You know, I remember a interview that Vanessa Bryant did, Kobe Bryant's wife, and she talked about how the only thing that got Kobe to play when he was injured or having an injury during a game was his love for the fans.

Nick Kyrgios 22:47 Yep.

Jay Shetty 22:47 And he would say that, "This fan paid to see me play."

Nick Kyrgios 22:51 Yep.

Jay Shetty 22:51 "And if I don't play today, then that fan may never be able to afford

Jay Shetty 22:56 to play again."

Nick Kyrgios 22:56 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 22:56 "And so I have to play."

Nick Kyrgios 22:58 Mm-hmm.

Jay Shetty 22:58 And so he was playing for beyond him. It wasn't, "Oh, I've got to play 'cause I've got to win another ring."

Nick Kyrgios 23:03 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 23:03 It's really interesting to hear an athlete say, "I'm tired. It's a tough gig. It's hard," because I think we almost want to believe that the best athletes don't feel that, but that's not true.

Nick Kyrgios 23:16 No, it's not true. And I guess that period in 2019 kind of accelerated my exha- Like, if I had a bit of a normal career and I flew under the radar, I don't feel I'd feel this way, but those couple years really, I think, put a lot on my age. Like, I'm 28, but I feel like, you know, I've traveled to pretty much every country. I've seen cultures. You know, I was traveling to countries when I was 13, and I saw what, you know, poverty was like. It really opened my eyes, and I guess those couple years accelerated my... almost pushed me to the end of my career a bit earlier because I was just, I felt that way, and I was so eternally hurting that I, I had to play for more than myself. And that's why now I do, I'm exhausted when I train. I'm like, I just... I, I don't want people to watch this and say, "Okay, he's soft," or whatever, but it's just like, it's just hard. Like, I am tired. I'm, I'm tired of playing tennis. Like, it's, it's more than going out last year, had the best year of my career, and I'm playing in front of millions of people, stadiums packed out, everyone's eyes on me. I, I don't know if I'm... An athlete loves that, but I'm a bit to that. I feel like a circus animal a little bit. I walk out there and like, "Oh, we just wanna see Kyrgios do something crazy." Like, I'm sick of kinda playing that role. I'm sick of playing. Like, I have to turn to a completely different person, and I don't like that. It's exhausting.

Jay Shetty 24:27 Do you think when you come back- How are you trying to figure out how you'll approach it differently? Have you thought about that?

Nick Kyrgios 24:34 Well, I think now I'm- I've kinda come to peace with I only wanna play for about another one to two years and, and be at the top and, and go out on my own terms. Like, I would hate to have another surgery or anything like that. So I think I've still got the ability to d- have a good one to two years, and then that's it. I think I'll be at peace with everything I've achieved. And,

Nick Kyrgios 24:52 uh, you're right, I'm gonna have to just say, "Look, to everyone out there who wants me to play more, you're just gonna have to be okay with me not playing anymore."

Jay Shetty 24:59 Yeah. Well, people are trying to figure out whether you'll be playing in December.

Nick Kyrgios 25:02 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 25:03 You're obviously, like you said, you're in pain even when you stand up.

Nick Kyrgios 25:06 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 25:06 Like, how do you deal with that anxiety of like, "People want me to play in December. I don't even know if I'll be better yet."

Nick Kyrgios 25:12 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 25:13 "Do I enter?" How do you navigate that?

Nick Kyrgios 25:15 It's hard, it's hard because I... You know, I'm going to the gym. I'm doing my rehab. You know, you might have something seriously wrong with your body, and it takes time. Like, we're o- I'm only human. I'd love to be like a Novak or someone that just is always healthy almost. It seems that way, but it takes months and months of, you know, sh- strength, consistency, diligence to get back to playing tennis at that high level again. Like, I don't wanna get back on tour and just play s- decent. I w- I was competing for Grand Slams, so I wanna get back to that level. So it might take, you know, a bit more time.

Jay Shetty 25:45 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 25:46 I wanna go back a few things, when you were saying, like, if you could take all your haters out for dinner and-

Nick Kyrgios 25:51 Hmm

Jay Shetty 25:51 ... and hang with them. So imagine we were at dinner-

Nick Kyrgios 25:54 Yeah

Jay Shetty 25:54 ... and all the haters are here right now. What do you want them to know about you to understand you deeply? If you could say three things to them to understand you more deeply and intently, what would you genuinely at the heart want them to know if, if we had the floor with them right now?

Nick Kyrgios 26:13 I guess I would, I would wanna listen to them more. I'd be like, "Why do you dislike me so much?" 'Cause I feel like when I'm reading all these comments, they really truly don't like me, and I feel like I don't dislike anyone that I don't know. Like, I just think it's ridiculous to have an opinion or, or that person, this one. I have no idea who they are or how they are. So I would just ask them, like, "Why do you dislike me so much?" And then I would make them open up. And then I guess... 'Cause I think, for instance, I'll use my girlfriend as an example. So my reputation in Australia is, like, arrogant, he's crazy, he's volatile. And having those three things when you're meeting a person for the first time, they're probably three pretty rough things to, like, already assume of someone. So I had to prove... Every time I meet someone new, I have to kinda prove to them that's not me. And so, and I had to, I asked her, "What was the first three things you came to mind?" And then she told me those three things. And so that's how everyone in the world that hasn't met me before assumes I am, and that's, that's pretty brutal. Like, how... Those three things are f- they're terrible. I, I don't hang around with one person that is arrogant or volatile or crazy. So I think... And she just spent time, like two times with me, and then she's like, "You're like completely different to how the media paints you out to be." So I guess every hater th- just thinks I'm like that. I'm assuming. So I would just try and prove that I'm not like that. But it's, it's, it's so hard.

Jay Shetty 27:33 How did she give you the time of day to-

Nick Kyrgios 27:35 [laughs]

Jay Shetty 27:36 ... like, make you believe that? 'Cause like you said, for a lot of people-

Nick Kyrgios 27:38 Yeah, they wouldn't even give me the time

Jay Shetty 27:39 ... they're just... And you've been together for a bit now. Like, yeah.

Nick Kyrgios 27:40 Yeah, two years now coming up.

Jay Shetty 27:42 Yeah.

Nick Kyrgios 27:42 But, you know, I just bought a mirror off a small company. It was just, it was just excuses. You know? Just an excuse, like how am I gonna get her to just give me the chance? And I feel like these people that hate me or don't like how I go about things, they just, they won't even give me a chance. They won't even listen because they think that I'm crazy.

Jay Shetty 27:58 Hmm. And do you think you just, you just started playing the character at one point? Like, that's-

Nick Kyrgios 28:02 Definitely.

Jay Shetty 28:03 Yeah.

Nick Kyrgios 28:03 Well, that's... You know, at the end of the day, you know, money's important. So I knew that that Nick could... That's the one that everyone wanted. They didn't give, they didn't care about how I actually was. They just wanted that one. Like, brands just wanted to work with that one.

Jay Shetty 28:16 Wow.

Nick Kyrgios 28:16 And that was hard. Like, I was like, every time I do something brand-wise early in my career, I was exhausted. I got home, I was like, "Thank God that's over so I can just be myself again."

Nick Kyrgios 28:25 And I'd meet people, and they would just want that.

Jay Shetty 28:28 And how did you know that? Were there people in your, like, vicinity, like, telling you that? Or like... Because that's fascinating, right? Like, the construction of talent is something that I think the average person is so separated from.

Nick Kyrgios 28:43 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 28:43 Like, when I moved to LA five years ago and I coach and work with so many different people in different parts of, whether it's music, acting, athletes, and you start recognizing how their management and their teams want them to be a certain persona, whether it's like you gotta show that you're single because otherwise-

Nick Kyrgios 29:01 Yeah

Jay Shetty 29:02 ... people, you know, people won't be into you if-

Nick Kyrgios 29:04 Yeah

Jay Shetty 29:04 ... if you have a long-term relationship.

Nick Kyrgios 29:06 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 29:06 Or you've gotta be this way so that this brand will wanna work with you. How much of that was in your ear? Were you hearing things like that? Or was it more in your own mind?

Nick Kyrgios 29:15 It was more in my own mind.

Jay Shetty 29:16 Right.

Nick Kyrgios 29:16 I think, you know, my team now have only ever wanted me to be happy and be myself, and I know that. And that's why I keep them around. I have a really small circle. But I knew that brands just that I knew that they wanted that Nick. And that's, it's, it's sad in a way because they don't even wanna get to know me, like, as me as a person. Like, we wouldn't even have sit down and have this conversation with... They just wanted me to be that, the one they see on the court. Like, be the entertaining one, and it's like I'm not like that off the... I'm very chilled out. And yeah, I just, I feel like most people just wanna meet that one.

Jay Shetty 29:48 Yeah, because it sells tickets.

Nick Kyrgios 29:50 Of course.

Jay Shetty 29:50 Gets attention.

Nick Kyrgios 29:51 Exactly.

Jay Shetty 29:51 Gets the headlines.

Nick Kyrgios 29:52 That's right.

Jay Shetty 29:52 It makes a moment out of it.

Nick Kyrgios 29:54 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 29:54 When

Jay Shetty 29:55 was, when was the day where you felt you played that character really well? Like, when would you say you're like, "You know what? That was the best acting gig I ever did" where-

Nick Kyrgios 30:03 Last year at the US Open was good. Like, Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York is the biggest stadium that we have, and it's crazy.

Jay Shetty 30:09 See, I went, I went this year.

Nick Kyrgios 30:10 You go, you go to the back and you look up as on the players. It's just like a wall of people just, like, glaring down at you, and that's the coolest thing about tennis. There's nowhere to hide. Like, if you're playing, if you're having a bad day, you can't sub out. There's no one to play your position. So you're just there, and I just feel like New York and the Americans, I feel extremely at home here. I feel like they really do enjoy when you put on a show and you do some crazy stuff out there. So every time I was stepping out on that court, it was like I n- like five minutes before I was in the locker room, I was like, "Okay, I gotta, I gotta Be more of that Nick tonight because I do appreciate the love that the American fans do give me. But yeah, every match was a bit of a, was a bit of a show

Jay Shetty 30:46 Do you feel differently about different places around the world? You've traveled, of course, as a tennis player.

Nick Kyrgios 30:49 Yep.

Jay Shetty 30:50 You travel everywhere. How do you feel like when you're in Australia versus when you're in the UK versus when you're in the US? Like walk me through the differences you experience as a player in the media and everything else.

Nick Kyrgios 31:01 Austral- I, I, I hate playing in Australia. Like that's gonna... I mean, if you're gonna air this, obviously, that, that's gonna... People think that Aus- like most Australians love playing Australia, but there was one kind of moment that ruined it for me. I was playing second round of the Australian Open. I had some match points. It was like a four and a half hour match, and I, I'd lost. I lost second round. I remember getting booed off the court in Melbourne, and that was one of the worst feelings for me 'cause I remember after that match, I was... I locked myself in the physio room with my physio and there were just people knocking it on the door. Like, I had to do media, I had to do this, and I was just... I turned the lights off and I was just so overwhelmed. Like, I'd given my absolute all in front of my, my fans for four hours, and I lost the match and I just got booed off the court. And for me, that really ruined... That put a sour taste in my mouth playing in Australia, and I know now, like I've had some great results in Australia and they have been behind me, but I don't forget things like that. I feel like if I loved someone and I understood the effort and the hours they put in, I would never do that. I'd never boo off one of my hometown heroes. So, and that's why, I guess, it's affected my relationship with Australia, you know, playing for the country. It's because I've been battered in the media there. Like, they've said some horrible things. Like, there are some Australian legends that have told me and my family to go back to where we come from. And I, I just don't forget things like that. I've had Lleyton Hewitt call me on my phone and say, "Why don't you wanna play for the country?" You know, like, "Everyone here wants you here." And it's like, yeah, but I... No, no other player in the, in the country's dealt with the backlash or the, the negativity towards their family, their girlf- like me. Like that, that hurt. So I guess playing in Australia for me, I don't, I don't really like. London, I just don't fit in there at all. [laughs] Like Wimbledon, it's a crazy feeling. It's like the documentary said, it's like a snowman in the desert. It literally is. I walk around there, everyone's like, "Oh my God. He's wearing like a n-" I could be wearing like an anime shirt. They're like, "Oh, look what he's wearing." Everything I do there is like under a microscope, and that's a, that's a cool feeling. I guess Novak would kinda understand what that feels like, too. He's like the villain, you know? It's like no one wants to see you win. No one is... And you made the finals. You have people like Piers Morgan just sh- throwing absolute venom at you, and that's why I feel... I love playing the US Open because I feel, wow, this is at home. Like, the energy's amazing and they bui- they bring that energy that I have, and I, I love playing there. So yeah, Australia and England are a bit... I, I don't like playing there. But US, I love it.

Jay Shetty 33:19 Yeah. Good to... Yeah, it's-

Nick Kyrgios 33:20 I love Asia as well. Asia's amazing.

Jay Shetty 33:21 Asia too?

Nick Kyrgios 33:22 Yeah. They just... I think Asia just love entertainment. They love something different, and they're, they're respectful. You know? They, I think they get that thing that people are different there. But yeah, I love, I love playing in Asia as well.

Jay Shetty 33:31 What would've

Jay Shetty 33:32 changed if you were allowed to be Nice Guy Nick from the beginning, like, and, and people perceived you as you actually are? Like, how do you think that would've impacted your game, your career, the work?

Nick Kyrgios 33:44 Well, the first five years of my career, I was almost impossible to get any sort of deal with anyone 'cause they just thought I was volatile, crazy. They didn't want me representing their brand. Where I feel like if they knew how I w- how I was and actually, like a nice guy, that would've helped, would've... I probably would've made a lot more money. I probably would've been more at peace with people actually knowing that I was a good guy, 'cause for a minute there I thought the whole world thought that I was just a terrible person. I feel like it would've helped me. I definitely don't think I would've fell into that dark period of my life as well. But conversely, I don't wanna that. I don't want to change that because that makes me who I am today. Obviously, I know everyone kinda says that, but when I opened up on social media about it, the amount of people that now open up to me daily... You know, I got people around the world that, you know, I give them my number and I've had phone calls with people and tried to articulate in a way that it's okay. Like, that's completely normal what you're going through. But like please keep reaching out to me. Stay in touch with me if you need any help. So that's been the most powerful thing in my career at the end of the day, is helping others getting through rough patches of their life. All the accomplishments, I don't actually care about them. I would... I, I don't... All my people know I don't ever sit there and talk about what I've achieved. Like, I don't really care about it. I think that's all a bit superficial. But the platform that I have now is amazing, what I can do with it.

Jay Shetty 34:58 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 34:59 It's interesting, isn't it? As a professional, we assume that complete control is a demonstration of brilliance when the reality is that when you're playing something you love, it's natural to be passionate.

Nick Kyrgios 35:14 Yep.

Jay Shetty 35:15 And like I think... I mean, I'm not an athlete, but as in even if I'm playing football with my mates-

Nick Kyrgios 35:19 Yeah

Jay Shetty 35:20 ... if I miss a shot-

Nick Kyrgios 35:21 Yeah, so-

Jay Shetty 35:21 ... or someone misses a penalty-

Nick Kyrgios 35:22 Yeah

Jay Shetty 35:23 ... I can take it very seriously.

Nick Kyrgios 35:24 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 35:25 And I don't see that's a sign of passion and care and enthusiasm-

Nick Kyrgios 35:28 Yeah

Jay Shetty 35:28 ... and energy. It's not a sign of-

Nick Kyrgios 35:30 Oh, not caring

Jay Shetty 35:31 ... they're not caring-

Nick Kyrgios 35:31 Yeah

Jay Shetty 35:31 ... or being angry at someone or being mad at my mate. It's my mate.

Nick Kyrgios 35:34 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 35:34 He's always gonna be my mate.

Nick Kyrgios 35:35 Yeah, yeah.

Jay Shetty 35:36 But in that moment-

Nick Kyrgios 35:37 Yeah

Jay Shetty 35:37 ... it's like, "Dude, you should've put that penalty away," right?

Nick Kyrgios 35:39 Yeah, yeah.

Jay Shetty 35:39 And but we've tried to make com- especially in tennis-

Nick Kyrgios 35:43 Yeah

Jay Shetty 35:43 ... it's almost like there's no space for passion and personality, especially in tennis.

Nick Kyrgios 35:50 Yeah. It's a very... Look, it's a, it's a white privileged sport, so I was again- I was behind the eight ball from the get-go. You know, I was colored, had some, you know, big personality, wore the emotion on my sleeve. So I was always trying to play against so many more people than just someone who was down. Beating the best players in the world is already hard enough. You know, the training every day, the diet, the, the, the discipline. That was already hard. But me, it was like I was playing against millions more people every time I went out on the court, and I think that's why I'm a bit more exhausted than the average tennis player now. When someone goes out there, they're not... They're just playing against who's down the other end, but I was playing against the media. I was playing against... 'Cause I knew that every little thing I did was under such a microscope. And even if I had a flawless match, it was like, "Oh, that's how he should be anyway." But then the minute I did something bad, it was like, "Oh, here it is. See? That's his true colors." I was like, I couldn't win. I actually couldn't win. And then if I was Well behaved and disciplined, it was like, "Oh, no, I, I..." It's boring. So it's like, okay, which one do you want?

Jay Shetty 36:46 Mm.

Nick Kyrgios 36:47 And that's how I've always felt like on the tennis world. That they don't, they haven't embraced me, and that's why I've sort of got such a big chip on my shoulder now with the tennis world. It's like I don't owe anyone anyw- anything anymore. So that's been the biggest... It's just been a whole contra- like a walking contradiction my entire, my entire career.

Jay Shetty 37:04 It sounds like a lot to carry.

Nick Kyrgios 37:05 Yeah, it is. It is, and I think that's why I fell into that dark space, 'cause I knew that I couldn't win no matter what I did.

Jay Shetty 37:11 Mm. How does this... I wanted to show you this.

Nick Kyrgios 37:14 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 37:14 This one. Take a look at that. It's, uh, from the Bossh Open, Stuttgart, June 2023, I believe.

Nick Kyrgios 37:26 Don't look happy. Um, yeah, and I was just... Oh, this was when me coming off my knee injury, and I had a pretty, pretty serious operation. And I just knew that physically I wa- probably wasn't ready to go. And it's hard, because even when I don't play or, you know, even during COVID, I, the tennis world used me as a kinda one of the key marketing points to keep, I guess, the sport afloat whilst during that period. And, and that's been one of the hardest things as well. It's like from a sport that's given me so much negativity and, you know, kinda treated me like an outcast, they still use me as, you know, someone that they wanna, you know, put on the front cover for, you know, tickets or getting people to be there. So it's like I know that I just get treated so poorly in the tennis world. It's like it just... Honestly, I look at that photo and I just look l- I'm just spent. Like, I just so m- there's just no energy there. And it's sad, 'cause I'm just in front of a camera doing another interview because the tournament needs it. Yet I know that if I, which I did go on to lose that match. Got, got hate for it. So yeah, it's hard. It's hard. It really is.

Jay Shetty 38:34 Are you trying to heal your relationship with tennis and the industry, like for yourself? In the sense of it almost feels like you have, you carry, there's validity to this of course, like you carry like a sense of like pain and stress and victimhood to the industry because there's been so much pain caused to you. Is there any part of you that's trying to heal that so that you're not carrying that bitterness towards the industry?

Nick Kyrgios 39:00 I think so much damage has been done from... I guess, 'cause when people ask me, like, "If you had your time again, would you ever pick up a racket?" And I genuinely have thought about it, and I, I don't think I'd ever play the sport. Like, I don't think I'd ever pick up a tennis racket. And that's such a scary thing, because it's like my whole life has been built off tennis. And if I had this again, like to go again, I wouldn't play tennis. And I think that's, that's so hard and it's so dark. Like, my whole life now revolves around what I've achieved on the court, but then if I could do it again, I, I wouldn't ever wanna pick up a racket. And that is like... And I, I'm genuinely being honest. Like, I've had conversations-

Jay Shetty 39:37 I can tell

Nick Kyrgios 39:37 ... with myself about it. But I don't think I can repair the damage that I guess the sport's brought upon me and just anyone. Like, the ama- amount of stress that it's put on my family has... You can't heal that. Like, you know, about six months ago someone came to my house with a gun and, and pointed it at my mum for, to steal my car, and I never thought that I'd bring that up. Like, I live in Australia in a nice neighborhood, like where things like that just don't happen and it's just been hard. Like, I never thought I'd deal with things like that, and like the trauma that my mum has now gone through and... Yeah, I don't think I can repair my relationship with tennis at all.

Jay Shetty 40:12 Wow. I mean, that's... Yeah. It's amazing that you've been able to kind of take care of yourself and your family and figure it out, because a few years ago I interviewed Dennis Rodman.

Nick Kyrgios 40:23 Mm.

Jay Shetty 40:25 And it was one of the toughest interviews I've ever done, because he was in a really bad place at the time. I don't know him personally, so I don't know if he's better now or, you know, where he's at. But all I remember was that in that interview he was... Like, I asked him what his purpose in life was, and he said, "To survive another day." Like, that's where he was at. And a lot of it was because of how he'd felt treated by the media, 'cause he was like, you know-

Nick Kyrgios 40:55 Yeah

Jay Shetty 40:55 ... Dennis Rodman was-

Nick Kyrgios 40:56 Yeah

Jay Shetty 40:57 ... everywhere when, you know, not only was he successful on the court, but-

Nick Kyrgios 41:01 Yeah

Jay Shetty 41:01 ... off the court his whole life was documented in so many ways.

Nick Kyrgios 41:04 Yeah [laughs] .

Jay Shetty 41:05 And, and he was the wild card too-

Nick Kyrgios 41:07 Yeah

Jay Shetty 41:07 ... like in his, in, in his persona.

Nick Kyrgios 41:09 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 41:09 And it's just fascinating to me, like it's almost like until someone crashes or until someone burns, we don't realize how heavy-

Nick Kyrgios 41:18 Yeah

Jay Shetty 41:18 ... media... And like I don't think our brains are wired for millions of opinions-

Nick Kyrgios 41:24 No, they're not

Jay Shetty 41:24 ... to write about us and our performance and our families and our life. And I think the amount of people that are now dealing with that today who are in the spotlight constantly has only increased.

Nick Kyrgios 41:37 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 41:37 There are more people in the spotlight, and there are more people criticizing people in the spotlight, and I don't think we've ever stopped to think about... And when you're someone as honest as you, you can only empathize to think, "Yeah, we don't realize the damage we're doing to people." Because I don't think it's tennis that you matter as a sport-

Nick Kyrgios 42:00 Yeah

Jay Shetty 42:00 ... the activity. It's what comes with it-

Nick Kyrgios 42:03 Yeah

Jay Shetty 42:03 ... is what it sounds like to me.

Nick Kyrgios 42:04 Yeah, definitely.

Jay Shetty 42:05 It's not playing tennis.

Nick Kyrgios 42:06 No. Because I, I enjoy it. I think tennis is a great sport, and everyone who plays it I'm like it's, I can see how it's enjoyable and it's, it's great for you. But yeah, it's more so I think Kyrie Irving, you know, I love some of his stuff because he says like, "I don't think people understand words can actually hurt someone a lot." And I've told, I had, I've said the exact same thing, like fame and social media, it's all man-made. Like it's w- someone's not supposed to deal, like supposed to wake up and then see such negativity feed into their brain constantly every day. And like how, how do you expect someone to- Just perform or just survive with that much negativity. And you know, I have conversations. Obviously, you wouldn't understand, but I have conversations with some of my friends about it. No one can understand that because it's like it's not normal. Like, you're not supposed to see all that negativity. You're not supposed to deal with it, and I don't know. I guess I've kinda run out of answers or solutions as to how do you deal with that. Like, yeah, you can speak to people about it, but it's so overwhelming, and how do you stop it? And you're right. Until someone really crashes and burns, then you're like, "I think we pushed it too far." But that's human nature. We all take things for granted, and we all don't understand our actions until, you know, there's a reaction. But yeah, I mean, I don't like to word it in the sense that I'm just surviving, every day I'm just surviving, but it, it does feel like that for me. Like, ev- that's why everything's a bonus. Like, if I'm here tomorrow and I'm enjoying it, I'm eating Chipotle and I'm going to watch a Lakers game or a Clippers game, like, that's amazing. Like, that's awesome. I never thought that I'd still be here doing those things. But obviously Dennis just couldn't obviously articulate any other way. Like, that's how it is. That's how it feels like at times, and just a bit dark to say it like that, but I guess-

Jay Shetty 43:50 Yeah, he was in a dark place for sure, yeah

Nick Kyrgios 43:51 ... yeah, but I guess that's just what it feels like for me half the time as well.

Jay Shetty 43:54 And why I was saying it's amazing that you've been able to be more upbeat and-

Nick Kyrgios 43:57 Yep

Jay Shetty 43:58 ... kind of positive.

Nick Kyrgios 43:59 Yep.

Jay Shetty 44:00 And, and I hope you keep finding that because just from the few moments we've spent together, I can tell you like, you like having a good time.

Nick Kyrgios 44:07 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 44:07 You li- you like smiling. You like laughing. You like, you know, like there's a positive energy that surrounds you from the moment you walked into-

Nick Kyrgios 44:13 Yeah

Jay Shetty 44:13 ... my home today.

Nick Kyrgios 44:14 Yep.

Jay Shetty 44:15 And I hope you always hold onto that because you have that natural ability to make people feel good-

Nick Kyrgios 44:21 Yeah

Jay Shetty 44:21 ... and, and have a positive energy, and I hope you never lose that because it is seems

Jay Shetty 44:26 to be who naturally who you are.

Nick Kyrgios 44:27 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 44:28 It's so easy to go down the other track. How have you managed though with your relationship too? Like, obviously you're quite public about your relationship.

Nick Kyrgios 44:34 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 44:34 Like, how have you managed to maintain that in a positive way as well? Because that seems to be a positive part of your life-

Nick Kyrgios 44:40 Yeah

Jay Shetty 44:40 ... a part of your life you like sharing.

Nick Kyrgios 44:42 Yep.

Jay Shetty 44:42 A li- a part of your life that you were talking about earlier, like, but having a relationship in the spotlight is very challenging.

Nick Kyrgios 44:47 Brutal. Yep.

Jay Shetty 44:48 So how have you managed to keep that in the spotlight but then also keep it positive?

Nick Kyrgios 44:51 Well, it's very ... Like, that just comes from experience as well. I've had relationships prior that, you know, were s- toxic and they didn't ended up going well, and I think the thing I love about my relationship now, we have such strong boundaries and respect for each other. Like, we don't ... And in s- with social media and relationships in general, like, boundaries can be a bit soft, and I think, you know, my ... I come from a background where my parents have been together for nearly, you know, 40 years.

Jay Shetty 45:14 Wow.

Nick Kyrgios 45:15 And they're, you know, they're still... They argue and they, they joke with each other. They get on each other's nerves and, you know, I spoke to my mom about it. She goes, "Patience is the biggest thing in a relationship where communication and patience" and I think, like sh- my girlfriend's a bit more y- a bit younger than I am, but we've, we've sat down. We've, we've set our boundaries and respect for each other, and I think that's why it works because we understand that. And being in the spotlight's brutal, like, for relationships. There's always gonna be people trying to tear you down, send a message here or there, like even liking a ph- like these type of things and I've now realized that I have to be diligent with these things because it's a respect thing. Like, on social media I guess that's like who you are in today's day and age is who you are. Who are you on Instagram?

Jay Shetty 45:55 [laughs]

Nick Kyrgios 45:55 Who are you on Twitter? So you have to make sure that you're ticking every box on those sort of platforms. But yeah, and like, and my girlfriend gets it and she listens to me. If I hadn't have all these experiences, she wouldn't listen, so she knows that I've been through a lot and, and she trusts me as well. So she's very, she does listen and we have a great relationship. Yeah.

Jay Shetty 46:14 Yeah. The, the boundaries part is so important.

Nick Kyrgios 46:15 It's so important.

Jay Shetty 46:16 Yeah.

Nick Kyrgios 46:17 You know, like if ... I, I, I always have this example, like, you know, like if [laughs] if, if she was like pregnant with my kid and my phone just popped up with like, you know, girls just like liking my photo and stuff, like that plays a part. I think that builds up, you know, tension and then it just explodes. So you know, I try and tick every box and make her feel comfortable and respected and especially i- it's heightened because we're in the spotlight so much. So I try and, I try and do everything I can to make her feel comfortable.

Jay Shetty 46:45 Yeah. No, it's, uh... You know, I think it was... I remember my wife and I had been together for like three years before... No, we'd been together for... We'd been married for three years-

Nick Kyrgios 46:57 Yeah

Jay Shetty 46:57 ... and together for six years before we did something together publicly on social media.

Nick Kyrgios 47:04 Yep.

Jay Shetty 47:05 And I felt that that was so important for us because we'd been together for a while.

Nick Kyrgios 47:10 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 47:11 But then when social media started to take off for me and, and the content that I was making, we were just still like finding our foundations-

Nick Kyrgios 47:19 Yep

Jay Shetty 47:19 ... and like figuring it out, and I can't imagine if we would've been active on social media together-

Nick Kyrgios 47:26 Yep

Jay Shetty 47:26 ... in any way earlier than that for us because I think we... I was just figuring out what it meant for me. Then she was figuring out what it meant for her.

Nick Kyrgios 47:35 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 47:35 And I feel like a lot of people, it doesn't matter whether you have a platform or not, we're not having those conversations-

Nick Kyrgios 47:40 No

Jay Shetty 47:40 ... and figuring that out with another human being.

Nick Kyrgios 47:42 Yep.

Jay Shetty 47:43 And even now, even till this day, my wife has different priorities on social media and what she wants to share than I do.

Nick Kyrgios 47:49 Yep.

Jay Shetty 47:49 And it comes with so many interesting question marks.

Nick Kyrgios 47:53 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 47:53 Like we had someone asking us a question of like, "Oh, like well you post about your relationship but she doesn't."

Nick Kyrgios 47:58 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 47:58 "Like does that mean there's an issue?"

Nick Kyrgios 48:00 Yep, yeah. [laughs]

Jay Shetty 48:01 And I was like, "No, it's just we have different ways."

Nick Kyrgios 48:04 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 48:04 Like I love sharing about our relationship.

Nick Kyrgios 48:05 Yeah, me too. Yeah.

Jay Shetty 48:06 She likes keeping it a bit more private.

Nick Kyrgios 48:07 Yeah, yeah.

Jay Shetty 48:08 Like that doesn't mean [laughs] that there's an issue.

Nick Kyrgios 48:10 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 48:10 But it's so fascinating how everything gets taken out of context.

Nick Kyrgios 48:14 Yeah, I think most relationships the problems stem from social media and, you know, I've got friends that have very healthy relationships with different standards on social media like you said, but I feel like to give the relationship the best chance of working you need to see eye to eye on those things because in my previous relationships the sta- the standards on social media weren't the same and they weren't as respected of both sides and it didn't go well. But here we have, we see eye to eye and I think it's a crucial part of it because it, again, social media, what, what is it? Like- I didn't grow up with social... I had a flip phone and, and I remember the first time when Instagram became a thing, and it was like you used to share a picture of a flower and stuff. Now it's like a whole business.

Jay Shetty 48:56 Yeah.

Nick Kyrgios 48:56 It's like it's just evolving and it's changing. So I think you need to have... It's so important to have these conversations because they, unfortunately it plays a huge part in relationships. It does.

Jay Shetty 49:06 Yeah. Another thing that came up on social media was your interaction with Drake-

Nick Kyrgios 49:10 Oh, yeah. [laughs]

Jay Shetty 49:10 ... that you posted. Did you ever get together?

Nick Kyrgios 49:12 Well, the thing is we didn't... The, our beef was so-

Jay Shetty 49:16 Yeah, yeah

Nick Kyrgios 49:16 ... so ridiculous. Like, I was 19 and I just said, "I came out slow, so I'm not gonna listen to Drake." And I said it jokingly and then he came out and said, "Oh, who is this guy? I'll chop him down."

Jay Shetty 49:25 [laughs]

Nick Kyrgios 49:25 And I was like, "All right. You're 5", you're like 5'9". I'm 6'4"."

Jay Shetty 49:29 [laughs]

Nick Kyrgios 49:29 And then, um, and then he reached out after Wimbledon and then I, I went back and I would love to. I mean, I would love to get him on, on,

Nick Kyrgios 49:36 on my stuff. But he... I mean, I also respect these guys have so much going on, you know, in, in their life. And if they speak to me or send me a message, that's a bonus. You know, it come, it comes back to all that being a bonus. So I do love his music, I'm just gonna say that.

Jay Shetty 49:49 Yeah, yeah.

Nick Kyrgios 49:49 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 49:49 Yeah, so do I.

Nick Kyrgios 49:50 Yeah, it's good.

Jay Shetty 49:50 So do I.

Nick Kyrgios 49:51 It's good.

Jay Shetty 49:51 And, uh... But no, it's funny, but that... So that was an old conversation then.

Nick Kyrgios 49:54 Yeah, an old conversation.

Jay Shetty 49:55 Yeah, yeah.

Nick Kyrgios 49:55 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 49:55 Yeah, that's funny.

Nick Kyrgios 49:56 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 49:56 That's funny. No, I mean, I think, I mean, watchin'... I think you guys doing a podcast together would be dope.

Nick Kyrgios 50:01 That would be cool.

Jay Shetty 50:02 I think it'd be really good.

Nick Kyrgios 50:03 Yeah. That's cool.

Jay Shetty 50:03 Let's put it out there.

Nick Kyrgios 50:03 Yeah, yeah.

Jay Shetty 50:04 I think, I think that'd be cool.

Nick Kyrgios 50:05 That'd be good.

Jay Shetty 50:05 Like, that would be, that would be awesome to watch. No, it's... I, I love what you keep going back to, man. I think it's, you know, I've met so many people who have achieved incredible things, but they've lost that childlike view of it. They've lost that... Not that they've lost gratitude-

Nick Kyrgios 50:22 Mm.

Jay Shetty 50:22 But they've lost that feeling of like, "Oh my gosh, I can't believe this."

Nick Kyrgios 50:26 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 50:26 Like, that feeling of magic.

Nick Kyrgios 50:28 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 50:28 And it feels like you've held onto that.

Nick Kyrgios 50:30 That, I think that's the only thing I... Like, even just driving to your house today, like, I was like, "This is insane." Like, I just, I love... Yeah, I just love... Like, I have utmost respect for everything you've created. Like, you must just look back at your journey and be like, "Wow." Like, this is sick. And I love reminding people of like, not that they need it, but, like, it feels good when someone comes into you and actually is like, "Dude, well done." Like, good stuff. 'Cause I can only imagine how hard you've worked for everything here. And, like, I feel like the normal person doesn't really realize how hard someone has to work to achieve all this. It's just didn't, you didn't just put your hand into a raffle and pull it out and be like, "Okay, I'm Jay Shetty now with all this." Like, and I just love making people feel that way, and it's because it's... You know, we all started from, from something so small, and I think that's so cool.

Jay Shetty 51:17 And, and you st- And how you s- find a way to still let yourself feel that way.

Nick Kyrgios 51:22 Yeah. Sometimes I l- I, I like making myself feel good, and it's not in an arrogant way. It's like I, I just think I've done some pretty cool things like, you know, whether it be on the tennis court or collaborations with people. Like, it's a... It's cool. And I think for the viewers that are gonna watch this, like, it's not like you just, we just started in this position. Like, we were just normal people, and we didn't really ask for everything that came with it. We're all trying to figure it all out.

Jay Shetty 51:49 Yeah. What's been your proudest

Jay Shetty 51:50 moment off the court?

Nick Kyrgios 51:52 I guess any time I'm with my family and, you know, we're having a good dinner together. We might be eating at a restaurant and just all together. Just any moment like that for me now is the best. I just feel like we were s- 'Cause, uh, during that period when I was really unwell, I didn't talk to my family at all. I didn't, you know, speak to them. They... I gave them... I put so much stress on, on my family. And now when we meet up and we have a gathering and we're all there and we're just having some good laughs, like, those are the, my, my favorite moments now. Like, the simplest of things are so... make me so happy now.

Jay Shetty 52:24 Yeah. Do you do a lot together during the holidays coming up or-

Nick Kyrgios 52:27 Yeah. We go on... Uh, there's so many... You know, we have the annual Kyrgios Christmas party. Like, things like this now-

Jay Shetty 52:31 Tell me about that. Tell me about the annual Kyrgios Christmas party.

Nick Kyrgios 52:33 So ev- every year there's like, in Canberra, like 300 to 400 people come to our house during the night.

Jay Shetty 52:38 300 to 400 people?

Nick Kyrgios 52:39 Yeah, yeah. And then they're coming and going. There's always a theme. Like, this year it's Gatsby, so everyone's gonna be in suits, cigars, and stuff, so it's good. Last year it was like superhero/supervillains. Like, those types of things now are amazing. Like, I can't wait to just see all my loved ones, family, and friends, and that's what I look forward to now. And yeah, I guess everything that I achieve is... And then people will, like, ask me that. They're like, "No, you're just being humble." It's like, no, I genuinely just love simple moments like that. So good.

Jay Shetty 53:02 Yeah, yeah. What's... You were talking about you've been inspired by the next generation. Walk me through a moment you've had with, like, a young fan or, or one of those moments that you feel like that stays with you and that keeps you motivated and keep going.

Nick Kyrgios 53:18 Well, I guess my game style is, you know, unorthodox and, you know, I'm playing crazy shots in crazy moments. And when people send me videos of, like, their young kids playing, they're trying to hit a tweener or they're trying to serve like me, that, that's cool. I think someone that I kinda look up to is, like, Allen Iverson. You look at his basketball game and you look at the culture he left, you know, the way he dressed, and his, some of his press conferences are, are hilarious. And I think he had his own style and people wanted to be him. And I think when I'm... When it's all said and done, there's gonna be so many people around the world trying to play like me and play the shot that they're not supposed to play, and 'cause it gives them that thrill. So I think if, if that carries on at the end of my career, that's, that's something pretty special.

Jay Shetty 53:55 Yeah, yeah. It's very cool. I remember, I still remember the Allen Iverson Reebok "I am what I am" adverts.

Nick Kyrgios 54:01 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 54:02 I don't know if you had-

Nick Kyrgios 54:02 Yeah

Jay Shetty 54:02 ... Reebok back in Australia back then.

Nick Kyrgios 54:04 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 54:04 But in the UK we had these ads and it used to just say, "I am what I am," and Allen Iverson kicked it off, and it stayed with me ever since that day.

Nick Kyrgios 54:11 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 54:11 Even though, you know, I, I maybe never, didn't even follow the brand-

Nick Kyrgios 54:16 Yeah

Jay Shetty 54:16 ... or the sport that much.

Nick Kyrgios 54:17 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 54:18 But still it stayed with me.

Nick Kyrgios 54:19 Yeah, he's like the definition of that. Like-

Jay Shetty 54:21 Yeah

Nick Kyrgios 54:21 ... I just love his press conference so good.

Jay Shetty 54:23 Yeah. [laughs]

Nick Kyrgios 54:24 'Cause he was just like a human. He said like, "I cry just like you guys. You know, I'm not the best every day. I don't feel like working. I don't feel like showing up, but... And you expect me to do all these things." And I think, yeah, we're just normal people towards athletes or people that, you know, have a lot of things going on. Like, they just lose a bit of compassion towards those people I think.

Jay Shetty 54:43 Yeah. You've mentioned

Jay Shetty 54:44 crying a few times. I was wondering when was the last time that you, like, really cried or something that really made you cry?

Nick Kyrgios 54:51 I probably could have broken down a couple times during some of this conversation, but I try not to, um- [smacks lips] I try to control it a little bit more these days. I just feel like I used to cry a lot. You know, I've had conversations with my, you know, my mom, um, heaps of people. I feel like I can break down so often just because things are just so raw and they just have... It's like a, if you pull the wrong string, I feel like at any moment in time I probably could get really emotional. But I, I think we do need to be a bit stronger than that at times. Um, but yeah, I, I... My dad, I draw a lot of strength from my dad. You know, he's, he never cries and he's always, he's like the strong person in our family. So I try and look, I look up to him a lot with that type of stuff. So yeah. I mean, I, I used to cry a lot, yeah.

Jay Shetty 55:37 But do you see, do you still see crying as a weakness or you've seen it as a good outlet as well?

Nick Kyrgios 55:43 I mean, you're obviously feeling that way for some reason. I think it's not good to let it in. It's not good to bottle it up. During this conversation, and I felt like crying, and because you've touched on things that are so emotional. And I think that if I don't try and be stronger, then I'm always gonna... You know, someone's gonna watch this, like, I don't want them to think it's like the only way is to open up and cry about it. You can be strong about things, and I still feel like crying. Of course I do. But I feel like I need to be a bit stronger than that.

Jay Shetty 56:10 Yeah. That's an interesting... I, I like that kind of nuance because, of course, I believe it's healthy to cry.

Nick Kyrgios 56:17 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 56:17 I think it's necessary to cry sometimes-

Nick Kyrgios 56:19 Yeah

Jay Shetty 56:19 ... when you feel a certain way. But at the same time, I agree with you that the ability to know you feel like crying, but keeping it together, not for performance or not for the sake of how other people feel, but you're almost strengthening your ability-

Nick Kyrgios 56:34 Definitely

Jay Shetty 56:34 ... to deal with an emotion-

Nick Kyrgios 56:36 Yep

Jay Shetty 56:36 ... is an interesting nuance. 'Cause I feel like the world used to tell men, like, "You can't cry."

Nick Kyrgios 56:40 Yep.

Jay Shetty 56:41 And then it became like-

Nick Kyrgios 56:42 You should cry. [laughs]

Jay Shetty 56:42 ... you should cry. Yeah. [laughs] And then, and then there's like this in between-

Nick Kyrgios 56:45 Yeah

Jay Shetty 56:45 ... which is the reality of like-

Nick Kyrgios 56:47 Look

Jay Shetty 56:47 ... I can relate to what you just said, where I'm like-

Nick Kyrgios 56:49 Yeah

Jay Shetty 56:49 ... I like crying sometimes.

Nick Kyrgios 56:50 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 56:50 I think it's important. But then there's sometimes where I'm like, "No, actually, I wanna be able to hold myself."

Nick Kyrgios 56:56 Yep.

Jay Shetty 56:57 Like, I just gave a... It was my sister's wedding, like two months ago.

Nick Kyrgios 57:02 Yep.

Jay Shetty 57:03 And I didn't anticipate how emotional-

Nick Kyrgios 57:06 Yeah

Jay Shetty 57:06 ... it was gonna be. So my sister's like five years younger than me.

Nick Kyrgios 57:08 Yep.

Jay Shetty 57:08 She's been my baby ever since she grew up.

Nick Kyrgios 57:10 Yep. Yep, yep.

Jay Shetty 57:10 She's a little kid for me.

Nick Kyrgios 57:12 Yep.

Jay Shetty 57:12 She's short as well. She's shorter than me-

Nick Kyrgios 57:13 Yeah

Jay Shetty 57:13 ... so it's like she's literally like a child.

Nick Kyrgios 57:16 [laughs]

Jay Shetty 57:16 And I knew her wedding was coming up and all the rest of it. I-

Nick Kyrgios 57:20 You prepped yourself for it

Jay Shetty 57:21 ... I, I kind of prepped myself-

Nick Kyrgios 57:23 [laughs]

Jay Shetty 57:23 ... but I didn't realize how emotional it was gonna be. And Indian weddings are like-

Nick Kyrgios 57:28 Huge. I got a, I got, I got, I got a guy, he's, he's gonna be watching this for sure. He told me about, he sent me all the videos. Nuts.

Jay Shetty 57:33 Yeah, yeah.

Nick Kyrgios 57:33 You guys are crazy.

Jay Shetty 57:34 It's crazy.

Nick Kyrgios 57:35 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 57:35 So it was five events over seven days.

Nick Kyrgios 57:37 Yep.

Jay Shetty 57:38 And every event has like 300 people there.

Nick Kyrgios 57:40 Yep.

Jay Shetty 57:41 And so we're out there, and I was more emotionally drained [laughs] -

Nick Kyrgios 57:44 Yeah

Jay Shetty 57:45 ... after that week than I am from a whole year of like giving and-

Nick Kyrgios 57:48 Yeah

Jay Shetty 57:48 ... helping and everything that I do. That was the most emotionally moving week of my entire life. [laughs]

Nick Kyrgios 57:54 Yep.

Jay Shetty 57:54 And I walked my sister down the aisle, and if you watch the video, I'm literally trying, and I'm doing what you just said you had to do. I just had to hold back.

Nick Kyrgios 58:02 Yep.

Jay Shetty 58:03 'Cause I knew if I cry and she sees me cry, then she's gonna cry.

Nick Kyrgios 58:06 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 58:06 Then her makeup's gonna go bad.

Nick Kyrgios 58:07 Yeah. [laughs]

Jay Shetty 58:08 Then, then she's gonna be mad at me later that I made her cry on her wedding day.

Nick Kyrgios 58:11 Yep.

Jay Shetty 58:12 And so I'm holding it back. And then my wife thought about it ahead. She told her, she goes, "Don't look at him during the wedding ceremony 'cause he's gonna be crying."

Nick Kyrgios 58:19 Yep.

Jay Shetty 58:20 And so my sister avoided eye contact with me-

Nick Kyrgios 58:22 The whole time

Jay Shetty 58:22 ... the whole ceremony 'cause the whole time I was crying. And it was just fascinating to me because I've probably not cried that much-

Nick Kyrgios 58:29 Yep

Jay Shetty 58:29 ... ever in my life. But there were times when I had to hold back for her sake.

Nick Kyrgios 58:33 Yep.

Jay Shetty 58:33 And there were times when I let it out.

Nick Kyrgios 58:35 Mm-hmm.

Jay Shetty 58:35 And I like that you brought that up because I do think that we've gone from one extreme to the other extreme of men never cry to men should cry all the time-

Nick Kyrgios 58:44 Yep

Jay Shetty 58:45 ... to figure out that healthy balance.

Nick Kyrgios 58:47 Yeah, I think it's with anything. Like, you get injured, you break a bone, it heals, you get stronger. So like, it's not to say that you shouldn't acknowledge the pain or acknowledge crying, but trying to stay strong through those moments, I think, is just as important of, of realizing, yeah, you're hur- you're hurt, and those are touchy topics. But how are you gonna... Every time someone brings it up, are you just gonna cry or are you gonna be able to talk about and educate other people that are going through the same thing? You know, I think you've gotta be a beacon. Um, and just, yeah, hold it together a little bit.

Jay Shetty 59:13 What's

Jay Shetty 59:14 your days looking like right now? Like, now that you're in your element, you're having a good time, things are opening up, you're doing new creative endeavors, what, what does your day look like right now and what are you loving about it?

Nick Kyrgios 59:24 Yeah. Well, my team comes with me for these opportunities. And obviously, like, you know, I, I kinda... It's all insane the fact that I have these options now. And so obviously training is a big part of my day still. You know, obviously rehabbing through, you know, surgeries and, and just maintaining that strength whilst you're not playing is a big thing. You can get pretty, you know, relaxed with it, and you can lose years of work in, in a couple of months. So, you know, I'm trying to stay on top of that. And then with doing all these things, I feel I just got a new passion 'cause I, I love communicating with people, I love learning about people, and I love helping. And I just love entertaining, giving the audience something different than what they've seen from me the last 10 years. So just all these types of things, training, you know, seeing the world with my girlfriend is, is, is... I know that we're extremely blessed. You know, 95% of relationships you don't get to travel, you don't get to do the world like we get to do it. So I know that I'm extremely blessed in that department. And, and a little 1% of NBA games. I love basketball.

Jay Shetty 1:00:20 [laughs]

Nick Kyrgios 1:00:20 So yeah.

Jay Shetty 1:00:21 You been watching?

Nick Kyrgios 1:00:22 Yeah, yeah. I'm watching.

Jay Shetty 1:00:22 Yeah.

Nick Kyrgios 1:00:22 We might be going tonight to the game too, so.

Jay Shetty 1:00:24 Oh, nice.

Nick Kyrgios 1:00:24 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 1:00:24 Who's your team?

Nick Kyrgios 1:00:25 I'm a Boston Celtic fan.

Jay Shetty 1:00:26 Okay. Okay.

Nick Kyrgios 1:00:27 So being in LA is tough.

Jay Shetty 1:00:28 Yeah. [laughs]

Nick Kyrgios 1:00:29 [laughs]

Jay Shetty 1:00:30 What, what's been the best country you've visited or favorite place that you've visited maybe with your girlfriend, even on your own that, that's kinda like left a mark?

Nick Kyrgios 1:00:37 Well, Australia's the best place in the world. I'm just gonna say that. It is. Every person that goes there-

Jay Shetty 1:00:40 I loved going to Aus.

Nick Kyrgios 1:00:42 Yeah. Yeah.

Jay Shetty 1:00:42 I had the best time.

Nick Kyrgios 1:00:44 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 1:00:44 Like, out of my whole tour, I had so much fun in Australia.

Nick Kyrgios 1:00:48 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 1:00:48 It was amazing.

Nick Kyrgios 1:00:49 Australia's the best place in the world.

Jay Shetty 1:00:50 Yeah.

Nick Kyrgios 1:00:50 I, I love the States personally just because of the sport. You guys do sport here like nothing else. Um, but my mom is half Malaysian. I'm half Malaysian. My mom's Malaysian. So every time I go to Malaysia or, you know, any Asian country, I love the food. Like You know, my mom cooks. I'm not just saying this, my mom is hon- honestly probably one of the best cooks in the world, and I've grown up with such a good food background, so I love... I could live in Asia hands down. Um, but the States, probably somewhere there. I mean, I'm half Greek. Europe's nice, but Australia's the best place in the world.

Jay Shetty 1:01:19 [laughs]

Nick Kyrgios 1:01:19 It's the best place in the world.

Jay Shetty 1:01:20 Where in Australia? If someone had to visit, where should they go? What should they do?

Nick Kyrgios 1:01:23 I mean, I, I come from Canberra, and everyone from Australia thinks Canberra's not a very good place, but I love the simplicity of Canberra. Like, it's a very... I love coffee. Like, I love the café scene. I love just chilling. But Sydney, Melbourne, or even Gold Coast, somewhere like that, beautiful places. Just such a good lifestyle there, so safe, and you can just do whatever you need to do in Sydney. I mean Australia in general, so.

Jay Shetty 1:01:45 Yeah, yeah. Yeah, I need to go back. I, I went for work.

Nick Kyrgios 1:01:48 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 1:01:48 And I always feel like when you go for work-

Nick Kyrgios 1:01:49 Yeah

Jay Shetty 1:01:49 ... it's different.

Nick Kyrgios 1:01:50 Definitely. Of course.

Jay Shetty 1:01:51 And so I was like, I was telling my wife, I was like, "We have to go back and just experience it."

Nick Kyrgios 1:01:56 Do it right.

Jay Shetty 1:01:56 And I'll have to come, come to you for all the recommendations.

Nick Kyrgios 1:01:58 100%. Yeah. I've got a couple of good spots.

Jay Shetty 1:02:00 Yeah.

Nick Kyrgios 1:02:00 Couple of good spots.

Jay Shetty 1:02:01 What would you say now, if there's anything, keeps you up at night, Stewart?

Nick Kyrgios 1:02:04 Yeah, so I lost my, I, I lost my grandma when I was about 19 after I first broke onto the scene, and she was like my best friend through my childhood. Like, my mum and, my mum was always working. I didn't get to see much of my mum. Like, my grandma picked me up from school, dropped me to trainings. We slept in the same room together. We had bunk beds. Like, we were like best friends. And she kind of passed away when things started to get a bit crazy for me and my career, like media and, you know, I probably didn't spend as enough time with her that I would have liked. And I think back to when, you know, we, shes- was in a nursing home towards the end of her life, and I feel like that kind of really bothers me. I feel like tennis took time away, not tennis itself like you said the sport, just everything that came with it-

Jay Shetty 1:02:46 Mm

Nick Kyrgios 1:02:46 ... took special time away that I should have had with her. And I was so young and naive to say to these people, "No, I don't want to do it." Like, it was like the time where, you know, money was coming in for my family. I was changing my entire family's life. So I feel like that, that sits with me, and that's painful because she was my best friend, and she, I guess she maybe understood it, and maybe she didn't. So I feel like if I could spend some more time with her instead of doing media or an interview or business or something like that, I guess I wish I could have more time with her. But hopefully she's up there watching and, and proud of everything that I'm doing now. And but yeah, I guess that, I think about that, you know, all the time.

Jay Shetty 1:03:22 Mm. That's, that's, that's a tough one when you can't do anything about it now.

Nick Kyrgios 1:03:27 You can't change it.

Jay Shetty 1:03:28 Yeah, you can't change it. Those are the ones that are like, you know, it's, it's tough thinking you could have done more. And, and you're so young too, and like your career's taking off.

Nick Kyrgios 1:03:37 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 1:03:38 Like, it's so forgivable in that sense.

Nick Kyrgios 1:03:41 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 1:03:41 Like, you know, it's... How would you know at 19 what to prioritize and what to focus on? And you're living the dream in one sense. And like you said, you're changing your family's life. It's, it's hard, it's hard to deal with that. And I guess, would you say... It doesn't sound like that's a regret, though. It does... It sounds like it's something that's kind of-

Nick Kyrgios 1:04:00 Yeah. I think I used to think it was, like I used to really be upset about it, and I, I was regretful of doing everything that came with it. I was like, I hated tennis. I hated everything that came with it, because I was like, we j- I just kind of... I didn't leave her, but I kind of just didn't spend as much time as I used to spend with her. So now I've come to understand it. Like, I was young. I didn't, I wasn't educated on, you know, these things that I had to be doing. So I, I guess I've been a bit nicer to myself on that, on that topic, but I still think about it. Like, I unfairly think about it at nighttime.

Jay Shetty 1:04:31 Yeah. Yeah, yeah. It's... Yeah, it's, it's amazing how the mind works, right? Like, you can literally avoid something the whole day-

Nick Kyrgios 1:04:38 Yep

Jay Shetty 1:04:38 ... and somehow at night-

Nick Kyrgios 1:04:40 It comes back

Jay Shetty 1:04:41 ... it comes back

Nick Kyrgios 1:04:41 It comes back. Yeah.

Jay Shetty 1:04:42 And it just like, almost like on clockwork, like on time.

Nick Kyrgios 1:04:45 Yeah. Yep.

Jay Shetty 1:04:45 It's so fascinating. How have you... Have you found a way of switching those thoughts off or?

Nick Kyrgios 1:04:50 Um, I guess I just realize now that that's just more love and more time that I wanted with her. So I'll try and look at it as a positive. Like, why am I always thinking about this moment? Why is it always coming up? It's just because she meant a lot to me, and that's... You know, I have so much more stuff that I wish I could just sit down with her now and speak about everything that's been going on and, you know, she would love it. She was the u- ultimate jokester in our family. She had... She was just a free spirit, and I feel like that's where I get some of my personality from on the court. So if I could just sit down with her now and just chat about things would be amazing, and I guess that's what I just try and turn into a positive. Like, she... I just got so much stuff that I want to talk to her about, and I feel like, yeah, if, if she was here during that dark time, I don't... I think I would have got through it a lot easier. But yeah, I guess I just turn it into a positive.

Jay Shetty 1:05:35 Mm. Yeah. There's, there's also you've said that, you know, after the Wimbledon game with Jo- Djokovic, you, you felt like you could have won it, like there was a feeling like-

Nick Kyrgios 1:05:45 Yep

Jay Shetty 1:05:45 ... you could have done that. That could have been it. How much does that play on your mind?

Nick Kyrgios 1:05:49 A lot that I was two sets away from winning Wimbledon and, you know, if I played anyone else on the planet that day, I felt like I would have won. So yeah, I mean, now I'm at peace with it, but for the f- three to four months after, that was like an every day. It was like not just a nighttime thing. It was like, "Sh- what could I have done differently?" Every time I was in the gym, every time I was on court, like, "Why didn't I?" You know, "That was my opportunity. Why didn't I just grab it?" But now I understand, like, the more he achieves now, the more I'm nice. I'm like, "Okay, no, everyone's trying to still figure this out."

Jay Shetty 1:06:15 [laughs]

Nick Kyrgios 1:06:16 But, um, yeah, I mean, look, nine... More than 99% of the world hasn't figured out how to beat him on a, on a consistent basis, so I can't be too angry about it.

Jay Shetty 1:06:24 Yeah. I like that perspective.

Nick Kyrgios 1:06:26 Yeah. [laughs]

Jay Shetty 1:06:26 That's, that's a good mindset to have.

Nick Kyrgios 1:06:28 Yeah. Yeah.

Jay Shetty 1:06:28 Yeah. And but it's so interesting, right? Like, I can totally empathize with that idea of how you can be so harsh and heavy on yourself for like three to four months, 'cause you can overanalyze. How have you mastered the

Jay Shetty 1:06:44 art of limiting overanalysis? Or what have you learned about stopping overanalysis to the point that it becomes a weakness?

Nick Kyrgios 1:06:55 Well, tennis is a, is a sport where you have to be a good loser, because every week you're, you're losing. Unless you're one of these top guys who's winning consecutive tournaments, you're experiencing a loss every week, and you just have to pick yourself up and go again in a different country, different surface, different time zone. So you just have to just- Be really good at understanding what you've done wrong, moving on, and just going again. 'Cause one week, one to two weeks in tennis can change your life. You can have 30 bad weeks in a row. The minute you have one really good result, things change for you. So you have to... That's what I love about tennis. You have to learn to bounce back quickly, and I think it's... That's a life lesson. Like, you're gonna experience ups and downs. Things are gonna be horrific for a couple months, they might be great. So it's like riding the wave and being kind of equal through everything, and just backing up and going again. Consistency is... You learn that from tennis so early on, which is cool. I like that.

Jay Shetty 1:07:42 Yeah.

Nick Kyrgios 1:07:43 With other sports you have an off-season, so you have, like, a period of time to say, "Well, what do I need to get better at? I can get stronger." With tennis, there's no off-season. It's like every week there's a new tournament. So you can't be too down when you lose, and then when you win it's like, but you're playing tomorrow, so you gotta just start again.

Jay Shetty 1:07:57 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 1:07:58 What's something in life that you've had to learn the hard way?

Nick Kyrgios 1:08:01 Um, hmm. That's hard.

Jay Shetty 1:08:06 Yeah, take your time.

Nick Kyrgios 1:08:09 I don't know. Let me ask you that question.

Jay Shetty 1:08:11 What's something I've had to learn the hard way?

Nick Kyrgios 1:08:14 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 1:08:14 It's a hard question, so let me take a second too. That no one's coming to save me. That no one, no one magic person is gonna discover my abilities, my qualities, and help me become the best version of myself. That there's not gonna be one person who just-

Nick Kyrgios 1:08:42 Activates it all. You-

Jay Shetty 1:08:43 ... activates it all and makes it easier-

Nick Kyrgios 1:08:45 Yeah

Jay Shetty 1:08:45 ... and shows me the path, and-

Nick Kyrgios 1:08:47 Yeah

Jay Shetty 1:08:47 ... clears all the, you know-

Nick Kyrgios 1:08:49 Yeah

Jay Shetty 1:08:49 ... clears all the obstacles and says-

Nick Kyrgios 1:08:50 Yeah

Jay Shetty 1:08:50 ... "Jay, just walk this way," and that-

Nick Kyrgios 1:08:52 Yeah. Like when you put something in, in iPhone Maps and it tells you which direction to go.

Jay Shetty 1:08:55 Yeah. [laughs] Exactly. Like-

Nick Kyrgios 1:08:56 Yeah

Jay Shetty 1:08:57 ... someone who's gonna come and show you the map-

Nick Kyrgios 1:08:59 Yeah

Jay Shetty 1:08:59 ... of life. And no matter how much someone cares or doesn't care, it's... That's not there, and I think I've, I think I just had this inbuilt belief since I was young that someone else was going to discover me and help me.

Nick Kyrgios 1:09:15 Yep.

Jay Shetty 1:09:16 And it was only when I realized that that person was me that life became easier, but it took me a long time to learn that. And you know, they talk about it in dating, especially for the way women were raised, but it's called the Disney Princess syndrome.

Nick Kyrgios 1:09:32 Mm.

Jay Shetty 1:09:32 This idea of, like, how Disney made young women believe that one day your knight in shining armor-

Nick Kyrgios 1:09:40 Yeah

Jay Shetty 1:09:40 ... will come and save you.

Nick Kyrgios 1:09:41 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 1:09:41 And there'll be this perfect guy-

Nick Kyrgios 1:09:43 Yeah

Jay Shetty 1:09:43 ... who has everything figured out, and you'll kiss a frog and he'll become a prince-

Nick Kyrgios 1:09:46 Yeah

Jay Shetty 1:09:46 ... and all these ideas. And I think we all carry that in some way.

Nick Kyrgios 1:09:50 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 1:09:50 So I think that's been really hard for me. And I think the other one was what we were talking about earlier. Like, I think something I've had to learn the hard way is I deeply believed that when I achieve a certain level of success, that everyone will like me.

Nick Kyrgios 1:10:08 Yep.

Jay Shetty 1:10:09 Or that when I make it to this level, that everyone will recognize my struggle and my pain, and everyone will acknowledge how hard I've worked.

Nick Kyrgios 1:10:19 Yeah, I guess that's, that's probably been my biggest one. Like, I w- I wish peop- like, when I meet new people, that they just... Like how I am with people that have achieved things, I'm so grateful. I'm so, like, proud of them in a way, and I don't even know these people, but I'm like, "Wow, you must have worked really hard." Like, that for me is, like, I wish people would give me more, uh, just maybe a little bit more credit from time to time. You know? Just of some of the things that it... It's been hard. It hasn't been, like, an easy journey at all for me and for, for I'm sure anyone in a position of achieving things. It's been so hard.

Jay Shetty 1:10:51 Yeah. And that can be anything, right? Like, I think we're talking about everyone.

Nick Kyrgios 1:10:55 Ev- everyone

Jay Shetty 1:10:56 Everyone.

Nick Kyrgios 1:10:56 Just anyone.

Jay Shetty 1:10:57 Like, if you're someone who's just figuring out how to pay the bills for your family-

Nick Kyrgios 1:11:00 Yeah

Jay Shetty 1:11:00 ... or you're taking care of your kids.

Nick Kyrgios 1:11:01 Like, you deserve a little pat on the back. You deserve to sit down and may- be made to feel good a little bit about things, you know?

Jay Shetty 1:11:06 Yeah.

Nick Kyrgios 1:11:06 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 1:11:07 And it's almost weird, 'cause we think of that as cheesy.

Nick Kyrgios 1:11:09 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 1:11:09 Like, we think of that as, like, "Oh, get over it."

Nick Kyrgios 1:11:12 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 1:11:12 You know? Just... But I feel like we all n- me and my friend talk about this, my, my best man at my wedding, my, my best mate. We talk about this a lot, about how we all need a sense of acknowledgement-

Nick Kyrgios 1:11:21 Yeah

Jay Shetty 1:11:21 ... and recognition for what we're doing.

Nick Kyrgios 1:11:24 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 1:11:24 And a lot of the time that's seen as, like, soft-

Nick Kyrgios 1:11:27 Yeah

Jay Shetty 1:11:27 ... or it's seen as, like, "Oh, you shouldn't need that. Like, get over it."

Nick Kyrgios 1:11:30 I think it's motivating. Like, I think it makes you want to achieve more when people recognize, "Okay, you're doing really well. You're on the right track. Keep going." It's not like, it's not arrogant, I think, to just sit down and recognize that w- I've come a long way. I'm on the right track, and what I'm doing is very special. I think that could be motivating in a way, rather than seen as, like, soft or why do you need credit for that? Like, it's like you're not doing things that every single person is doing. Like, that you're doing... Obviously something about you is special. Your, your, you know, your details or you're ticking everything off the box. Like, that's... You should need acknowledgement for that.

Jay Shetty 1:12:03 Yeah. What's,

Jay Shetty 1:12:05 uh... Is there, is there a moment that you wish you had acted differently in a press conference or in a game? A moment where you look back and think, "You know what? Actually, I'm better than that, and I'm, I'm such a, I'm a nice guy. I'm-

Nick Kyrgios 1:12:20 Yeah

Jay Shetty 1:12:20 ... that's not me."

Nick Kyrgios 1:12:21 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 1:12:22 "That was so far from who I am-"

Nick Kyrgios 1:12:24 Yeah

Jay Shetty 1:12:24 "... that I actually don't feel good about."

Nick Kyrgios 1:12:26 Yeah, I've had so many moments like that. I mean, I could go on YouTube now and... I guess the thing about tennis is when you finish a match, you only ha- you, you have to do media, like, so soon to when finishing, so you haven't had time to digest any sort of emotions. So you go in there with... And the thing about it now with me, I walk into a room with about 50 people all ready to attack me. They're not actually gonna ask me about, "Oh, how did the match play out?" They're gonna just nitpick and come at me in an aggressive way, and I haven't had time to digest. I've s- I haven't even eaten after four hours sometimes. And then when I did that time on Piers Morgan, he's like, "This guy's so rude. He's so, such, so disrespectful." I played for four and a half hours. I needed to eat some food because for my nutrition and my preparation. So it's like I walk in there and I have had no time to digest. I haven't... And then these people are just going at me, and then I retaliate. And for me, oh, I'm not... That, that, that's fine. You should be able to retaliate. But then I look back at all the people that are watching this, kids, and they see I could be disrespectful to someone that I don't even want to be that. But in that moment, I just haven't had any time to just reflect on what's just happened. And I feel like, yeah, I do, I do regret sometimes on how I've acted on the tennis court or in a press conference because it's, it's not that version of Nick Kyrgios that I want people to... Like, millions of people to watch and say, "Oh, that's how he is. What a prick." You know me, but that's not me. And Australians in general, we have a bit of that, like, where if you come at us, we'll, we'll retaliate in a way of, you know, we'll make you feel it, too. And I guess my upbringing where, you know, the bullying and stuff, I've always had that chip on my shoulder where I'm in a position to give it, I'll give it a little bit, you know? So I don't feel proud of making other people feel bad, and I think that's just more of a retaliation of I know how much it hurts, so now I'm gonna give it back to you a little bit. And that's not, that's not a good thing to do, especially after, you know, in a press conference where millions of people are gonna see it.

Jay Shetty 1:14:16 Yeah.

Nick Kyrgios 1:14:16 So yeah, I definitely have some regrets with that, yeah.

Jay Shetty 1:14:18 Yeah, especially when it's not you.

Nick Kyrgios 1:14:19 It's not me. Yeah, it's just-

Jay Shetty 1:14:20 I think that's the, I think that's the hardest part, right? Like, when something's you, there's a certain understanding that you have with it. But when you feel like that's not me-

Nick Kyrgios 1:14:28 Yeah

Jay Shetty 1:14:29 ... like, I, I c- I can empathize with that. Like, if in any conversation or anything that I've done more offline where I've not acted like myself, it's almost the hardest thing in the world because I'm like-

Nick Kyrgios 1:14:39 Yeah

Jay Shetty 1:14:39 ... "God, now I've shown someone a side of me that's not me."

Nick Kyrgios 1:14:42 Exactly.

Jay Shetty 1:14:43 And-

Nick Kyrgios 1:14:43 And then they run with it. They're like-

Jay Shetty 1:14:44 And that's the thing

Nick Kyrgios 1:14:44 ... "Oh, look, look how he is."

Jay Shetty 1:14:45 Yeah.

Nick Kyrgios 1:14:46 And I'm like, that was, like, a 10-minute press conference, you know?

Jay Shetty 1:14:50 Yeah.

Nick Kyrgios 1:14:50 It's not even at all of what I actually... What s- kind of a per- person I am at all.

Jay Shetty 1:14:55 Yeah.

Nick Kyrgios 1:14:55 So yeah, it's, that's been, that's been hard.

Jay Shetty 1:14:57 And it's interesting, by the way, it is interesting to understand the context of you're playing for four and a half hours. You haven't eaten. Like, it's good to know what, you know, like-

Nick Kyrgios 1:15:05 Yeah

Jay Shetty 1:15:05 ... the human side of, like, if you're watching a press conference, you're not thinking it through that deeply.

Nick Kyrgios 1:15:10 No, you're not. Yeah.

Jay Shetty 1:15:10 You're just like, "Oh, this guy's just come off the court."

Nick Kyrgios 1:15:12 Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Jay Shetty 1:15:12 Like, whatever. Like, he's... You know, it's what we do. And it's interesting because I'm like, yeah, if I was hungry for four and a half hours [laughs]

Nick Kyrgios 1:15:18 Yeah

Jay Shetty 1:15:18 ... and I've just played, and I get asked a question that annoys me-

Nick Kyrgios 1:15:21 Yeah, yeah

Jay Shetty 1:15:21 ... I could imagine retaliating too and being defensive.

Nick Kyrgios 1:15:24 Like, e- exactly. If, if the player had... You know, if, if you came back into the tennis courts the next day and had a whole night to reflect on the match, moments where you were great, moments where you weren't, you could just speak calmer about situations. Like when couples have a fight, sometimes having figuring it out then and there is not the best thing. You know, you need some time away. You need to reflect. You need to have a conversation and come back and when you're both calmer. Like, rather than when the emotions are high, and it just turns into an absolute explosion. So yeah, I mean, that's the same thing.

Jay Shetty 1:15:53 Yeah.

Nick Kyrgios 1:15:53 It's... And you're not walk- I'm not walking into a room where they're emp- empathetic that I lost. They're like, "Oh, why'd you lose?" Or, "Why'd you act like this?" It's like, "Okay, you, you're attacking me. Now I'm gonna go back at you," and then-

Jay Shetty 1:16:01 Yeah

Nick Kyrgios 1:16:01 ... yeah, so.

Jay Shetty 1:16:02 Yeah, and it's the trap.

Nick Kyrgios 1:16:03 It is.

Jay Shetty 1:16:03 It's, it's the game they want to play.

Nick Kyrgios 1:16:04 Exactly, and that's the, that's the articles and the headlines they want.

Jay Shetty 1:16:06 It's the game they want to play.

Nick Kyrgios 1:16:07 So.

Jay Shetty 1:16:07 Yeah. Who is that, who is the basketball player who had a really good response? Was it Giannis? He s-

Nick Kyrgios 1:16:12 Oh, yeah

Jay Shetty 1:16:12 ... yeah.

Nick Kyrgios 1:16:12 And he's like, "Do you..." You know, "If you don't get a promotion, do you see that as a bad year?"

Jay Shetty 1:16:16 Yeah, yeah.

Nick Kyrgios 1:16:16 Like, exactly. Everything's building-

Jay Shetty 1:16:17 Yeah

Nick Kyrgios 1:16:17 ... to... You know, losing is not always seen as a failure. Why is that? So.

Jay Shetty 1:16:23 Yeah.

Nick Kyrgios 1:16:23 I agree.

Jay Shetty 1:16:23 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 1:16:24 No, it was... What is the joy? Tell me, tell me how it feels-

Nick Kyrgios 1:16:27 Yeah

Jay Shetty 1:16:27 ... to break a racket. How, how does that feel?

Nick Kyrgios 1:16:30 It does feel good. Some, some-

Jay Shetty 1:16:31 It does feel good, doesn't it? [laughs] It does feel good.

Nick Kyrgios 1:16:33 Sometimes it feels good.

Jay Shetty 1:16:34 Yeah.

Nick Kyrgios 1:16:34 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 1:16:34 When does it, when does it feel good, and when does it not feel good?

Nick Kyrgios 1:16:36 I guess it doesn't feel good when I know it's detrimental to what's going on. If... Look, when I know when I get to that level of anger, I know that it's not helping me. But sometimes, you know, if I've lost the match, and you know, the, the match is over, and I go to my bag, and I see it there, and I know that I've got all this anger built up, and I let loose, it does feel good. The timing of doing those things can help your performance or... You know, because sometimes I've seen in my experience with other athletes like Djokovic and Serena Williams, all these legends have broken rackets, but the response after that's the key component. And sometimes you need to let off the steam because you're expecting more from yourself. And I feel like the response, if you're gonna come back with energy, and you know, say, "All right, I did that. Now it's time to reset," that it can actually help you in a way.

Jay Shetty 1:17:20 Walk us through the balance of when anger is helpful versus when it becomes destructive-

Nick Kyrgios 1:17:25 Well, if you-

Jay Shetty 1:17:26 ... as to where you found it

Nick Kyrgios 1:17:27 ... 'cause I've been angry where I've broken rackets, and then I become, you know, a smart-ass with the umpire. And then I'm, I'm actually not concentrating on what I need to do to win the match. It's like I'm more pissed off at myself or more pissed off at the umpire. Where I've had times where if I break a racket, and you know, I walk back to my bag, and I'm like, "All right. Here we go. You've, you've done that now. You know, it's time to reset. You know, we, we're not playing well, but now how are we gonna change that?" So I feel like the discipline of do- And these great players have shown that... And they start playing better, and they end up winning the match. So it's hard because you don't want to s- make it seem like a violent act because then kids are gonna be like, "Oh, it's okay to throw rackets." It's, "It's okay to..." But that's why I think the response after that's more important. It's like, "Oh, he did that, but then he started playing unbelievable. So something must have clicked in his head after he did that." So I guess it can be positive, but you don't... I'm not gonna sit here and say, "Yeah, smash all the rackets in the world." No.

Jay Shetty 1:18:16 [laughs]

Nick Kyrgios 1:18:17 No, no. Not at all.

Jay Shetty 1:18:18 Yeah, yeah. No, no, that, that's a, that's a thoughtful response. Like, I, I can appreciate that. Like, I can definitely see how getting that kind of competitive spirit out-

Nick Kyrgios 1:18:28 Yeah

Jay Shetty 1:18:28 ... in a physical act can be, like, helpful.

Nick Kyrgios 1:18:33 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 1:18:33 I c- I can recognize that.

Nick Kyrgios 1:18:35 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 1:18:35 And unless it hurts someone else-

Nick Kyrgios 1:18:37 Yeah

Jay Shetty 1:18:37 ... which it isn't.

Nick Kyrgios 1:18:38 Exactly.

Jay Shetty 1:18:39 And so it's, it's interesting how, like you're saying, like, the greats do it often.

Nick Kyrgios 1:18:45 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 1:18:46 But the response is... Like, how, how did, how did that help you process things-

Nick Kyrgios 1:18:51 Yeah

Jay Shetty 1:18:51 ... versus how did it lead you down a dark hole?

Nick Kyrgios 1:18:53 It's a c- it's like a complete reset almost.

Jay Shetty 1:18:55 Yeah.

Nick Kyrgios 1:18:55 So yeah. And I've s- I've seen it all the time. Like I've seen Djokovic, Alcaraz, Serena do these things, and it's like, okay, they realize they're not playing up to their standard. And they go back, and you see them breathing, and then it's like they've done that. It's like a, it's like they've reached a limit of playing really bad-

Jay Shetty 1:19:10 Yeah

Nick Kyrgios 1:19:10 ... and now it's time to switch that.

Jay Shetty 1:19:12 Yeah, yeah.

Nick Kyrgios 1:19:12 So it's good.

Jay Shetty 1:19:12 Yeah.

Nick Kyrgios 1:19:13 I mean, it can, it can be used as

Nick Kyrgios 1:19:14 a reset.

Jay Shetty 1:19:14 Yeah. How much has meditation and breathing or mindfulness been a part of- ... your world, or is that something you're discovering or you've been practicing for a while?

Nick Kyrgios 1:19:22 Oh, I'm just a c- I'm a c- I'm a complete work in progress. Like, people think that I've got my stuff figured out and, you know, I have a nice routine. Like, people don't realize that having a routine is harder than doing something different and having stimulation every day. That's easy. Like, having... Waking up and doing something different is so easy every day, but can you get up week in, week out, monthly, yearly doing the same routine, having the discipline? Like, that's... Having a routine for me is probably the hardest thing ever, and that's been my weakness in my career is consistency. Okay, you played great that week, but can you show up n- And I haven't proven... I guess that's what I haven't proven is consi- I've been consistent enough to make it this far, but am I consistent enough to be a champion? Probably not, and I know that. So I think I'm just a work in progress, whether it's meditation, whether it's breathing. Like, I started Pilates, like, two months ago. I never thought that I'd [laughs] ever start Pilates. Like, when my girlfriend went to Pilates, I'm like... I started laughing. Then I started doing it. I'm like, "Oh my God. Th- this is hard."

Jay Shetty 1:20:15 [laughs]

Nick Kyrgios 1:20:15 "Like, this is hard as..." I'm still trying to figure out... Like, breathing for me is a big one when I'm on court. I, I, I really am mindful of my breathing, but am I... I don't even think I'm at that point of discipline or consistency yet to meditate. I can't even... I hate being alone with my thoughts still. Uh, I still have extremely dark thoughts. So I think I just try with easy, you know, consistent habits. You know, go for a walk to get a coffee in the morning with my girlfriend or, you know, just these lighter things. Um, having a routine for me is incredibly hard still. And people with routine think, "Oh, they're boring." No. No, they're just cons- They're really disciplined and consistent with their work, and that's, that's really healthy.

Jay Shetty 1:20:53 Routines and disciplines are... I mean, yeah, they're so hard to build.

Nick Kyrgios 1:20:57 So hard.

Jay Shetty 1:20:57 So hard to build, easy to break.

Nick Kyrgios 1:21:00 Yep.

Jay Shetty 1:21:00 So easy to fall off, so hard to get back on.

Nick Kyrgios 1:21:03 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 1:21:04 And so powerful when you get them right.

Nick Kyrgios 1:21:07 Yep.

Jay Shetty 1:21:08 And yeah, anyone who can keep a discipline together every day is... It's, it's, it's a serious achievement.

Nick Kyrgios 1:21:14 It is.

Jay Shetty 1:21:15 What, what's the most difficult emotion or thought that you deal with regularly still, or an emotion or thought you struggle to deal with still?

Nick Kyrgios 1:21:24 Um, that I'm not enough. I think that was the biggest one I think I, I struggled with was I'm letting people down and I'm not enough, and that's from, you know, millions and millions of i- opinions that have just built up over time. And I, I can see, you know, when I lose a tennis match or when I don't achieve things, I can see sometimes my, even my family get disappointed, and that's just... it just ate me up for so long. Like, going on social media saying... 'Cause I was supposed to be the next per- after the Big Three, it was like, "Okay, Kyrgios is gonna take over the mantle. He's gonna be the one for 15 years," you know, being professional, winning Grand Slams. And I think I look back on my career and I didn't even get c- close, not even a quarter of what people thought that I should have achieved, um, with the talent that I have, and I still deal with it. It's like I'm never gonna achieve what all these people thought I was gonna achieve. But I've had tough conversations with myself in the mirror saying, like, "Am I okay with not maybe winning a Grand Slam? Am I okay with not achieving?" And I, I am. I, I, I, I'm okay with that, but it's still hard because it's like I know that my family would love that. Like, they maybe would, they, they would prefer me being that type of champion or this person, and I really did struggle with that early on. Like, it's, it's hard. Everyone wants you to be something that you're not. But the one thing that they kind of understand more is that I'm happier being this, this way. I'm, I'm happier just being myself and having some fun and, and just doing it my way, and that's, that's c- I'm so thankful that the most important people are... They can just understand. I'm not saying that they... that's what they want, but at least they can understand it now. But yeah, that's been, that was the hardest thing, I think, for me.

Jay Shetty 1:23:01 Mm. That makes sense. Nick, you've been incredible, man. This has been-

Nick Kyrgios 1:23:05 Appreciate it

Jay Shetty 1:23:05 ... uh... What I really appreciate about you is the genuine, authentic, raw, real answers. Like, I can tell when I'm sitting with you, I'm listening to someone who's not... It's interesting. In a press conference, it seems like you don't filter the combativeness.

Nick Kyrgios 1:23:25 Yep.

Jay Shetty 1:23:25 And today I'm like, "You're not filtering to make yourself look a different way or appear a different way. You're just being who you are," and I really-

Nick Kyrgios 1:23:34 Yeah

Jay Shetty 1:23:34 ... appreciate that because-

Nick Kyrgios 1:23:36 Of course

Jay Shetty 1:23:36 ... I think we all need to, to make sense of it, and I think a lot of us who are struggling with that feeling of not being enough or not living up to the expectations of our family or not having achieved the goals that everyone else thought we'd set out to, I think that's more of us in life than the people who go on to achieve everything.

Nick Kyrgios 1:23:55 Yep.

Jay Shetty 1:23:55 And the interesting thing is even the people that go on to achieve everything that everyone wanted them to, they're not happy either-

Nick Kyrgios 1:24:01 Yeah

Jay Shetty 1:24:01 ... because they often find that they went and won at things that they didn't care about.

Nick Kyrgios 1:24:05 Yeah, they lost themselves.

Jay Shetty 1:24:06 Then they lost themselves. And so I know that this is gonna resonate with a lot of people, but as you know, we end every On Purpose

Jay Shetty 1:24:13 episode with a Final Five. These questions have to be answered in one word to one sentence maximum.

Nick Kyrgios 1:24:18 Okay.

Jay Shetty 1:24:19 And so Nick Kyrgios, these are your Final Five. The first question is, what is the best advice you've ever heard or received?

Nick Kyrgios 1:24:27 Uh, it's never as good as it seems, and it's never as bad as it seems.

Jay Shetty 1:24:31 Mm. Who said that? Where did you learn that?

Nick Kyrgios 1:24:33 So Simon-

Jay Shetty 1:24:35 Simon Concin

Nick Kyrgios 1:24:35 ... he was one of my tennis coaches, and I feel like we... There was... That was very tennis specific because when I was on court, I had the talent to, like, amaze millions of people, but I always went on court and tried to do that, where he was like, "You don't have to do that. These people have paid to come watch you play just because of how you just are." So I always was like, "Okay, maybe I don't have to try as hard." And then when I was playing bad, he th- I, I used to think I was playing horrific, but then he was like, "Your bad for most people is still amazing, so it's not that bad." And then I started carrying that to everyday life, like when I was having some really bad moments. And everyone thinks when they're going through a struggle, they're like, "Fuck, this is the worst part of my life," and I'm like, "This is not the worst part of your life. You're just going through a bad phase." So that's why I'm never too high anymore with some amazing achievements. Like, when I w- finals of Wimbledon to most people was, is an amazing achievement, and it is, but I wasn't like It's like I carry my trophy everywhere with me and I'm like-

Jay Shetty 1:25:28 [laughs]

Nick Kyrgios 1:25:28 ... you know, I'm, I may feel like, you know, I just, you know, it's an amazing achievement and it's, it's, it's in the past now. So I think just being able to ride the, the highs and the lows the same. I think when you're able to do that, it's, you can just navigate through life a little easier.

Jay Shetty 1:25:42 Mm.

Nick Kyrgios 1:25:43 And, you know, that's the, that's actually the quote above the Wimbledon court is when, when, when you can look at a victory and a loss the same way, that's when you've, you know, conquered life a little bit. So I think-

Jay Shetty 1:25:53 Wow

Nick Kyrgios 1:25:54 ... yeah, that's like the final thing you see above the court as it's opening up. I'm not sure that's the exact quote, but it's along those lines. So that quote there is very similar to that. You know, it's never as bad as it seems, it's never as good as it seems.

Jay Shetty 1:26:03 Nice. I love that. Uh, second question, what is the worst advice you've ever heard or received?

Nick Kyrgios 1:26:08 It's not that simple. I don't like... I think about when I've had my success, you know, I've eaten healthy, I've been active, and I've just worked hard. Those... It's, it, it really is simple for everyone. I think if you just break it down into nice simple categories, you're gonna get the best out of yourself and you, and you're gonna have success whatever, whatever that is. Success is different for everyone. But it's not that simple. The amount of times I heard that in school and from tennis coaches, from everything, it re- it really... If, if they told me it's simple, like, do these things and you'll probably get the best out of yourself. So yeah, it's not that simple. I hate, I hated hearing it.

Jay Shetty 1:26:43 [laughs]

Nick Kyrgios 1:26:43 'Cause it really was.

Jay Shetty 1:26:44 Yeah, yeah, it is.

Nick Kyrgios 1:26:44 To get in my position, it is quite simple.

Jay Shetty 1:26:47 Yeah.

Nick Kyrgios 1:26:48 It's, it's hard-

Jay Shetty 1:26:49 Yeah

Nick Kyrgios 1:26:49 ... but the, the steps to getting it, it's, it's actually very simple.

Jay Shetty 1:26:52 Yeah. It's not easy, but it's simple.

Nick Kyrgios 1:26:53 Yeah. Yeah.

Jay Shetty 1:26:54 Yeah, yeah. I agree. I would agree. Uh, question number three, what's something that you've been trying to unlearn?

Nick Kyrgios 1:27:01 Ooh, that's a t- that's a hard one because I've had to unlearn nearly everything that I thought, like... 'Cause, you know, I meet so many people. I'm not really following your rules of keeping it short, am I?

Jay Shetty 1:27:11 That's cool, man. It's good. They're good answers.

Nick Kyrgios 1:27:12 But, um, a lot, you know, I've met so many people and I thought that I'd meet a lot of... I thought I'd meet a lot of cool people and good genuine people on the way, but I've been really disappointed. I feel like, I feel being in our position, it's hard. Every time you meet someone, you don't know if anyone genuinely wants to be your friend or hang out with you or, you know, go to dinner with you because we're good people, or is just do you wanna just be around us because of... And that's just a common struggle I think that I deal with every day. I really do struggle with that 'cause I'm a genuine person. I only want to hang out with you if I think you're cool-

Jay Shetty 1:27:44 Yeah

Nick Kyrgios 1:27:44 ... and you're, you got a good heart. So I think I, I, I thought that a lot of people... I'm trying to unlearn that everyone has good intentions. I felt like everyone should have that and everyone doesn't.

Jay Shetty 1:27:57 Mm. That's, yeah, and that's a hard one. That's a really hard one, and I, I can resonate with that too. I think sometimes it's really interesting, right? Like when you're... I feel like sometimes if I get along with someone or I feel like a natural sense of chemistry-

Nick Kyrgios 1:28:11 Yeah

Jay Shetty 1:28:11 ... with someone, I can come on quite strong-

Nick Kyrgios 1:28:14 Yeah

Jay Shetty 1:28:14 ... but I'm just being who I am.

Nick Kyrgios 1:28:15 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 1:28:16 And I'm okay with that.

Nick Kyrgios 1:28:16 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 1:28:16 Like I'll be like to someone, "Hey, we should hang out" or whatever.

Nick Kyrgios 1:28:19 Yeah. I'm exactly like that.

Jay Shetty 1:28:19 And, and I like living that way-

Nick Kyrgios 1:28:21 Yeah

Jay Shetty 1:28:21 ... because to me, that's how I've made some of my best friends.

Nick Kyrgios 1:28:24 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 1:28:24 If I wasn't like that-

Nick Kyrgios 1:28:25 Yeah, you're always sheltered

Jay Shetty 1:28:27 ... chances-

Nick Kyrgios 1:28:27 How are you gonna experience like the good times?

Jay Shetty 1:28:29 Totally.

Nick Kyrgios 1:28:29 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 1:28:29 And, and I've opened myself up to that, and sometimes people are like, "Oh, may- maybe he has something that he wants" or like.

Nick Kyrgios 1:28:34 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 1:28:34 I'm like, "No, not really."

Nick Kyrgios 1:28:35 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 1:28:35 I'm just... That's just who I am.

Nick Kyrgios 1:28:37 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 1:28:37 That's just how I was raised.

Nick Kyrgios 1:28:37 I just, I'm just vibing and just feel good.

Jay Shetty 1:28:38 Yeah, exactly. And so I, I, I can relate to that. All right, question number four, a rule everyone should break and a rule everyone should follow.

Nick Kyrgios 1:28:47 Hm. I prefer the follow one, I think.

Jay Shetty 1:28:49 [laughs] Go on.

Nick Kyrgios 1:28:51 Hm. Oh, I don't know. I'm gonna give that to you. I'm gonna give that to you. I can't answer it.

Jay Shetty 1:28:55 The rule everyone should break?

Nick Kyrgios 1:28:56 Yeah. Yeah. I, I, I actually, I, I can't answer it.

Jay Shetty 1:29:01 I've never asked it before. I just got inspired to ask it to you.

Nick Kyrgios 1:29:04 A rule everyone should break.

Jay Shetty 1:29:05 I'm just trying to think of rules that the world sets-

Nick Kyrgios 1:29:07 Yes

Jay Shetty 1:29:07 ... that we think everyone should break. And so let me think of a rule. The way I would think about it is what are rules that we were all told, like even unwritten rules that we all heard since we were young, that now I look at it and I go, "Ah, we should break that rule."

Nick Kyrgios 1:29:25 And you expected me to, to answer-

Jay Shetty 1:29:27 I think-

Nick Kyrgios 1:29:27 ... the question and you, you're the, you-

Jay Shetty 1:29:28 No, no, no. I, I wanna give a genuine answer 'cause it's, yeah, yeah.

Nick Kyrgios 1:29:31 I know, but you're so... The way you-

Jay Shetty 1:29:33 Yeah, yeah

Nick Kyrgios 1:29:33 ... you have answers to pretty much everything.

Jay Shetty 1:29:35 [laughs] But I like, I like to be thoughtful because it literally, I came up with that question right now just for you.

Nick Kyrgios 1:29:40 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 1:29:41 Like it, it was a moment thing. It wasn't a... The, I would say that like an unwritten rule or like a rule that I think everyone was told to follow was like, I feel like when you were growing up-

Nick Kyrgios 1:29:51 Yep

Jay Shetty 1:29:51 ... you were told to fit in.

Nick Kyrgios 1:29:53 Yes.

Jay Shetty 1:29:54 And then when you get older, you're told to stand out.

Nick Kyrgios 1:29:56 Yep.

Jay Shetty 1:29:57 Right? It's like if you wanna be successful when you're a kid-

Nick Kyrgios 1:29:59 Yeah

Jay Shetty 1:29:59 ... fit in.

Nick Kyrgios 1:29:59 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 1:30:00 Wear the uniform, stand in line.

Nick Kyrgios 1:30:02 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 1:30:02 Do well in school. It's like everyone's told to fit in.

Nick Kyrgios 1:30:05 Yep.

Jay Shetty 1:30:05 And then as you get older, if you want to win at whatever career path-

Nick Kyrgios 1:30:08 Yeah. You gotta be authentic

Jay Shetty 1:30:09 ... it's like you gotta be different. You gotta be authentic.

Nick Kyrgios 1:30:10 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 1:30:10 It's like, wait a minute. And so instead of fitting in or trying to stand out, the rule to break is to say, "Well, I'm not gonna fit in or I'm not gonna stand out. I am just gonna learn to discover myself."

Nick Kyrgios 1:30:22 Yep.

Jay Shetty 1:30:23 And I think it's not even about being you. I think that's the cheesy answer of like, just be yourself.

Nick Kyrgios 1:30:27 Yep.

Jay Shetty 1:30:28 I don't think it's about being yourself. I think it's about discovering yourself-

Nick Kyrgios 1:30:31 Yep

Jay Shetty 1:30:31 ... and getting to know yourself.

Nick Kyrgios 1:30:32 Yep.

Jay Shetty 1:30:32 And so the rule we need to break is stop trying to fit in or stand out. Just get to know yourself.

Nick Kyrgios 1:30:38 Yep.

Jay Shetty 1:30:38 I think that's-

Nick Kyrgios 1:30:39 Just figure it out.

Jay Shetty 1:30:39 Yeah, just figure it out is what comes to mind anyway, so.

Nick Kyrgios 1:30:43 I like it.

Jay Shetty 1:30:43 Yeah.

Nick Kyrgios 1:30:44 I like it.

Jay Shetty 1:30:44 We'll, we'll go with that. You just keep flipping them back onto me.

Nick Kyrgios 1:30:46 Yeah. [laughs]

Jay Shetty 1:30:47 I like it. It's smart. It's a good tactic.

Nick Kyrgios 1:30:48 It is. It is.

Jay Shetty 1:30:49 It's good PR training.

Nick Kyrgios 1:30:50 Yeah, it is. [laughs]

Jay Shetty 1:30:50 Yeah. This, this is a masterclass in PR training-

Nick Kyrgios 1:30:53 It is

Jay Shetty 1:30:53 ... from, from Nick.

Nick Kyrgios 1:30:53 It is.

Jay Shetty 1:30:54 Uh, fifth and final question, if you could create one law, we ask this to every guest of all time, if you could create one law that everyone in the world had to follow, what would it be?

Nick Kyrgios 1:31:04 Before you criticize someone, you have to do what they do for one day. So like if someone criticizes my tennis game, they need to get on the court and try and play. Or like if I was criticizing someone, then I had to go... I think that should be a law. Before you, if, if you're willing to criticize, then you're gonna be that person for one day and deal with everything that they, that person deals with.

Jay Shetty 1:31:25 That is a brilliant answer. I love that.

Nick Kyrgios 1:31:27 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 1:31:27 We've never had that on the show and I love that.

Nick Kyrgios 1:31:29 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 1:31:29 That would be amazing if you actually became that person-

Nick Kyrgios 1:31:33 Person for one day

Jay Shetty 1:31:33 ... for a day. You had to swap lives.

Nick Kyrgios 1:31:34 Yeah, yeah.

Jay Shetty 1:31:35 Anyone you judged or criticized-

Nick Kyrgios 1:31:37 Yeah

Jay Shetty 1:31:37 ... you had to swap lives with them for one day.

Nick Kyrgios 1:31:39 Yeah, one day. Yep.

Jay Shetty 1:31:40 That would be phenomenal.

Nick Kyrgios 1:31:41 And it's not like a, it's not like a holiday.

Jay Shetty 1:31:43 Yeah, yeah. [laughs]

Nick Kyrgios 1:31:43 It's like a business day.

Jay Shetty 1:31:45 It's not a... [laughs] It's not-

Nick Kyrgios 1:31:46 It's not like a party like a Saturday night going out. No. It's like the, the working day. Yeah.

Jay Shetty 1:31:51 Yeah. I love that.

Nick Kyrgios 1:31:52 Because then I, I would think, I would think twice.

Jay Shetty 1:31:54 Yeah.

Nick Kyrgios 1:31:54 Like I, I've criticized basketball players. Anyone, I'd be like, "Oh, you" ... And then it's like, all right, do you wanna do that day thing? Oh, actually, no, I'm good.

Jay Shetty 1:32:00 [laughs]

Nick Kyrgios 1:32:01 'Cause I think a lot of people in my position would, like they would freak out, I think. If I had to go out and play a match in front of the stadiums, then do the press conference and then deal with the criticism and had to real, like feel the realness of it all-

Jay Shetty 1:32:17 Mm-hmm

Nick Kyrgios 1:32:17 ... they wouldn't want to criticize again.

Jay Shetty 1:32:19 Yeah. I like that law, man.

Nick Kyrgios 1:32:20 Yeah.

Jay Shetty 1:32:20 I like that law.

Nick Kyrgios 1:32:21 That's a good law.

Jay Shetty 1:32:21 It is a good law. It's a good law. Nick Kyrgios.

Nick Kyrgios 1:32:24 Thank you.

Jay Shetty 1:32:24 Nick, this has been such a joy and pleasure, man.

Nick Kyrgios 1:32:26 Appreciate it.

Jay Shetty 1:32:27 You totally over-delivered and for what it's worth, from the moment we started messaging to meeting you today, to having this conversation, you're a genuinely nice guy, man, and, uh-

Nick Kyrgios 1:32:37 I appreciate that. Thank you

Jay Shetty 1:32:38 ... and, uh, I've enjoyed every minute we've spent together-

Nick Kyrgios 1:32:41 Thank you

Jay Shetty 1:32:41 ... and I look forward to many more.

Nick Kyrgios 1:32:42 Thank you.

Jay Shetty 1:32:42 Genuinely.

Nick Kyrgios 1:32:43 It'll be fun.

Jay Shetty 1:32:43 Genuinely, man. Yeah, it's been fun.

Nick Kyrgios 1:32:44 Thank you.

Jay Shetty 1:32:45 Thank you, man.

Nick Kyrgios 1:32:46 Of course.

Jay Shetty 1:32:46 If you loved this episode, you'll love my interview with Kobe Bryant on how to be strategic and obsessive to find your purpose.

Speaker 1:32:55 Our children have become less imaginative about how to problem solve, and parents and coaches have become more directive in trying to tell them how to behave versus teaching them how to behave