Famous Five: Nick Kyrgios shots worth talking about (that aren’t underarm serves)

Tennis Features
Nick Kyrgios smiling

Nick Kyrgios is in the headlines again after his underarm serve in Acapulco really seemed to annoy Rafael Nadal, and that’s a shame. 

Because, although Kyrgios tends to be a magnet for the wrong kind of headlines, he is without doubt capable of producing some of the greatest shots you’ll see on a tennis court anywhere in the world.

And, not only is he capable of producing them, but he actually does it. A lot.

So here, to redress the balance a little of the last few days, is a pure and unashamed celebration of the sheer brilliance of Nick Kyrgios.

Leaping forehand winner

Kyrgios’s serve alone is enough to mark him out as a power player, although he’d argue that his power is more down to supremely clean ball-striking than physical strength.

That’s something he backed up with this outrageous leaping forehand in Cincinnati.

‘Blink and you’ll miss it’

While we are talking about power, spare a thought for Stan Wawrinka. At the Rogers Cup he was on the receiving end of a 185kph (115mph) Kyrgios forehand winner.

The line judge should be singled out for some special credit here too, we think!

‘Tweener lob-shot winner

Yes, you read that right.

When Kyrgios is playing well and his confidence is soaring, special things can happen. That was certainly the case at Queens, where he not only conceived of a shot that few others could, but actually pulled it off too.

Racket rocket

Tokyo was another tournament in which Nick Kyrgios seriously tested the strength of his racket strings.

This racket rocket against Yoshihito Nishioka was pretty much as unplayable as tennis shots get.

Off-forehand style

It’s not always just power and crazy from Kyrgios, though. When the situation calls for it, the Aussie can produce moments of true finesse.

Indeed, his favourite shot may well just be the off-forehand, which he generally executes with real beauty, with this being a particularly lovely example.

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