Nick Kyrgios urged to ‘become a warrior rather than an entertainer’ by former world number one

Nick Kyrgios reacts at Wimbledon

Former world number one Marat Safin has urged Nick Kyrgios to forget about being an entertainer and become a warrior instead.

Kyrgios has become a true box office star on the ATP Tour in the last two years, but he has failed to deliver on any of his potential as far as becoming a top player is concerned.

However, Safin believes that with just a small tweak in his attitude, Kyrgios can turn his biggest weakness into his biggest strength.

“I’m not judging and I know it’s sensitive, and you hear three million times that if he gets serious he can be a top-10 player,” Safin said, as quoted in the Express.

“But I think he tries to hide his doubts by joking around. He needs to face the pressure and be a warrior, not an entertainer.

“I think he’s a great warrior; he just needs to face the tough moments and once he does he could have a great career.

“He has great potential, for some reason he isn’t consistent and that’s why the ranking bounces left and right.

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“Maybe that six months is enough time to rethink what he wants to do. Time goes fast and he’s not 18 anymore.

“The years fly, if you don’t wake up now he’ll look back, be 35 years old and that’s it.”

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