Nick Kyrgios to embrace ‘villain role’ against Britain’s Paul Jubb, but slams ‘stupid’ Wimbledon doubles rule

Wimbledon
Nick Kyrgios post-match celebration

Nick Kyrgios says he happy to “ride the waves emotionally” when he takes on Great Britain’s Paul Jubb in the opening round at Wimbledon, but he was not quite so happy with organisers’ decision to keep the men’s doubles best-of-five sets.

Many believe Kyrgios is a dark horse at The Championships this year after he impressed during his warm-up events, reaching the semi-finals at the Stuttgart Open and the Halle Open.

The Australian, though, will not only have to face local wild card Jubb in his first-round clash on Tuesday as he will also have the home crowd to deal with.

However, he is happy to be “wearing the black hat” once more.

“I feel like I can put myself in his [Jubb’s] shoes very well,” Kyrgios said.

“I was once that kid that got a wild card at the Australian Open – it felt really good just to be around, soak it all in, the media, the fans, everything, the hype.

“I’ve got to ride the waves emotionally out there because the crowd is obviously going to be behind the local.

“I’m used to wearing that kind of black hat, the villain-type role. I’m going to embrace it.”

Kyrgios won the Australian Open men’s doubles title alongside compatriot Thanasi Kokkinakis at the start of the year and the “Special Ks” – as they have been dubbed – will also team up at Wimbledon.

The 27-year-old, though, is unhappy with the fact that they have to play best-of-five sets in the men’s doubles.

“I am not really looking forward to playing best-of-five-set doubles – I think it is the stupidest thing ever,” he said.

“I don’t know why it is best of five sets. No-one wants to play best-of-five-set doubles, no one wants to watch best-of-five-set doubles. So I am excited, but I am also dreading the fact that if it is one set all I am going to have to be playing three more sets of doubles.

“That’s why I haven’t played it before. It doesn’t make sense, because I have always gone pretty well here in singles so I am not on my off day playing potentially five sets of doubles.”

Nick Kyrgios Paul Jubb

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