Former world No.1 Andy Murray feels Nick Kyrgios is “knocking at the door” of his first main title and says embracing hometown stress may assist the Australian break by means of.
A 3-time grand-slam winner, Murray is urging Kyrgios to make use of the assist of followers at Melbourne Park to change into the primary native male to win the Australian Open title since Mark Edmondson in 1976.
The Scotsman stated he did the identical at Wimbledon, the place he received titles in 2013 and 2016.
“I always found it helped at Wimbledon – the stuff away from the court is difficult and something you have to manage but when you actually get on the court, the pressure and the support and everything, it makes a difference,” stated the 35-year-old, who will subsequent week go well with up for his fifteenth Open.
“Home support is a positive thing in football or soccer, and I’m assuming in Aussie Rules it is like that as well – the home team tends to perform better, and it is the same with tennis.”
While Australian favorite Ash Barty clinched the ladies’s Open title final 12 months earlier than retirement, Murray acknowledged it was a tricky process.
“It is just not easy, there have not been loads of players over the years who have managed to win home slams,” stated Murray, a five-time Australian Open finalist.
“Because there is just a bit more spotlight on the sport, with social media and all of those things, that you maybe feel the pressure slightly more.
“We did it within the UK, the US have performed nice with Serena and Venus (Williams) however on the boys’s facet it has been a short time.
“It’s not that easy, there is obviously pressure and expectation.”
Murray has lengthy been a locker-room ally of the polarising Kyrgios.
The top-ranked Australian made the Wimbledon ultimate final 12 months and the final eight of the US Open. He additionally received the Open doubles with Thanasi Kokkinakis.
Murray feels Kyrgios isn’t far off successful his maiden main.
“Last year he won the doubles here and then had a great run at Wimbledon as well,” he stated.
“He was really close and he wasn’t that far away at the US Open either.
“He’s been knocking on the door the previous couple of slams and hopefully he has a very good preparation and all the pieces to provide himself one of the best probability.
“He can do it but it’s not going to be easy.”
