Why Kyrgios could be the next Kournikova

Much-maligned Aussie Nick Kyrgios has been accused of being a tennis gimmick similar to glamour girl Anna Kournikova.

The 21-year-old arrived for the US Open last week as one of the most talked about figures in the game after featuring in a front-cover feature story in the New York Times.

But Sports Illustrated America senior writer Jon Wertheim says his reputation is now in a worse position than when he arrived.

The Sports Illustrated executive editor wrote in a recent tournament wrap that Kyrgios needs a serious attitude change and is in danger of becoming a sideshow similar to Kournikova.

The stunning Russian was a tennis sensation without ever threatening to win a grand slam.

"Nick Kyrgios may have graced the cover of the pre-tournament New York Times magazine, but I'm not sure how much we learned about him this event," Wertheim wrote.

"Or this year, for that matter. Until the delta between the talent and the conviction/commitment narrows, it will be hard for him to be a top 10 player, much less win majors.

"If not, in an Anna Kournikova kind of way, he can still be a star, a credible player whose image and popularity outstrips his achievements. And that's fine. Kournikova wasn't fraudulent; she was a player in that 11-20 range — the same terrain which Kyrgios currently occupies.

"Perhaps Kyrgios invites a think piece on culture, ethnicity, generational confrontation, challenging an establishment. But is it more complicated than this: he is a kid — his arrested development was laid bare in the first paragraph of that Times article — still deciding whether he wants to dedicate himself fully to a pursuit."

The world No. 16 was eliminated in the third round when he retired hurt, sparking a storm of criticism after tennis legend John McEnroe told the Australian to quit the sport if his heart isn't in it.