Nick Kyrgios hit back at his detractors in a recent podcast appearance and believes it is "insanity" to suggest he is an underachiever.
Kyrgios burst onto the scene by beating Rafael Nadal, who announced his retirement a few weeks ago, at the 2014 Wimbledon Championships during a run to the quarterfinal at SW19.
The Australian captivated fans with his combination of huge serving, variety, and outrageous shot-making, which made some believe the then-19-year-old was destined for the very top.
Kyrgios has enjoyed some impressive successes since. His most notable achievement was finishing as the runner-up to Novak Djokovic at the 2022 Wimbledon Championships after losing the final in four sets.
Kyrgios also reached the 2017 Cincinnati Open final and has won seven ATP titles throughout his career, including two at the Citi Open in Washington and one at the Japan Open in Tokyo.
Although Kyrgios's achievements should not be underestimated, he did not reach the top of the sport before sustaining severe injuries, and it will be very challenging for him to do so when he returns at the 2025 Australian Open after more than two years on the sidelines.
The 29-year-old believes in what he can achieve during his comeback next year. Kyrgios aims to win a maiden Grand Slam singles title and quieten those who have doubted him.
However, Kyrgios also rejects that he has underachieved, even if he does not win a major singles title before the end of his career. Speaking on the Louis Theroux Podcast, the Australian said it is insanity to call him an underachiever.
"Yeah, that's definitely something I've heard my entire career (about underachieving). To say that I've underachieved is insanity because I know what I've gone through in my life and where I've come from."
"And just sitting in this room in Canberra, Australia, the fact that someone sat here and played in front of the royal family (in the 2022 Wimbledon Championships final), that's not an underachievement at all."
Kyrgios argues that his response to negative moments and his ability to help and give advice to young fans should be considered a big overachievement.
"What I've done in my career and what I've achieved as a person and how I've bounced back from all the negative that I've dealt with and then gone through and turned it into a positive and to be able to help people now and I can give advice to young kids that come up, young fans, I look at that as the biggest overachievement in any athlete that can give back."
More detail and nuance might be needed by some when discussing whether Kyrgios is an underachiever. His natural ability was undoubtedly good enough to have achieved more during his career without considering any other factors.
At the same time, mental health difficulties off the court can take their toll on athletes. Kyrgios and others coming through those issues should not be taken for granted and can be factored into conversations about what the Australian could have achieved.
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