Nick Kyrgios receives cheeky offer from local Sydney tennis club
A suburban tennis club in Sydney has sent out a cheeky offer for Nick Kyrgios to ramp up his Australian Open preparation at a tournament he bombed out at as a precocious 15-year-old. Kyrgios played in the Manly Seaside Championship at the Manly Lawn Tennis Club on Sydney's northern beaches in 2010, bowing out before the quarter-finals with little or no fanfare.
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A press clipping in the local paper made mention of his heavy loss but did not go into great detail, simply stating "Lleyton Hewitt's former coach Nathan Healey advanced to the final eight after thumping Canberra youngster Nicholas Kyrgios 6-1 6-2."
The Seaside has a rich 90-year history in Australian tennis, boasting Ken Rosewall, Lew Hoad, Mark Edmondson and Evonne Goolagong among its past winners and featuring the likes of John Newcombe and Tony Roche in the draw.
Played during the Christmas-New Year period, it is now considered a stepping stone tournament for up-and-coming juniors. Long-time Seaside tournament director Marc Dragan issued an invitation to Kyrgios to return to Manly as he eyes a first Grand Slam singles title.
Nick Kyrgios invited to return for Manly tennis tournament
"Nick has made it clear the Australian Open is his goal but he will need a solid warm-up before heading to Melbourne," a tongue-in-cheek Dragan told Yahoo Sport Australia.
"What better way to do that than to play at the Seaside and work his way back into it at a laidback but competitive tournament played at a great time of the year.
"We are situated a lob shot away from the beach and there are plenty of good restaurants, shops and bars to keep him entertained when the tennis is done.
"I'm sure he would have good memories of playing at Manly as a teenager and this might be his last chance to get on our famous honour board."
This year's Seaside winner will pocket $1200, with $585 for the runner-up – the sort of money Kyrgios leaves in the console of his car.
The Seaside offer comes at a time when Kyrgios has again polarised Australian tennis fans.
The Wimbledon finalist lashed out at the country's tennis authorities after being overlooked for the prestigious Newcombe Medal in favour of Ash Barty.
Kyrgios's refusal to represent Australia has also angered many, with the 27-year-old opting to pick up easy money at an exhibition tournament in Saudi Arabia rather than joining Lleyton Hewitt's team in the Davis Cup final against Canada.
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