Nick Kyrgios speaks out amid dramas engulfing Wimbledon campaign
Nick Kyrgios has vowed not to let his physical and mental struggles derail his Wimbledon campaign as he continues his pursuit of a maiden grand slam semi-final berth.
Kyrgios takes on unseeded Chilean Cristian Garin in the quarter-finals on Wednesday with a looming court date in Canberra hanging over his head.
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It only emerged on Tuesday night that the 27-year-old was required in the ACT Magistrates Court on August 2 over an assault allegation involving ex-girlfriend Chiara Passari.
And if that wasn't enough of a distraction, the Aussie is also battling a worrying shoulder injury.
Kyrgios has belted down 103 aces and needed 16 sets to make Wimbledon's last eight for the first time since his spectacular debut run in 2014.
He needed painkillers and two medical time-outs to have his serving shoulder massaged during Monday's five-set fourth-round win over American Brandon Nakashima.
But speaking to media at the All England Club on Tuesday, the enigmatic Canberran pledged to soldier on, knowing he's never been presented with a better chance to claim a grand slam title after a drama-charged third-round victory over fourth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas.
"I woke up after Tsitsipas and had some shoulder pain," Kyrgios said.
"I've played so much tennis in the last month and a half, so I almost knew that it was time for my body to start feeling some niggles.
"I think that's normal. At this time in the event I don't think anyone is feeling 100 per cent.
"Obviously Rafa (Nadal), you see him dealing with something niggling all the time. I just don't think there's anyone feeling 100 per cent.
"It's just something I manage. Mentally I feel like I just deal with these things a lot better now."
Kyrgios admitted he never felt 100 per cent against Nakashima.
"But mentally I stayed quite calm, knowing I wasn't able to serve full out for the whole five sets," he said.
"Obviously I had to take painkillers, I wasn't returning well for a period of time, then I just stuck to my guns in the fifth set.
"I felt like the level in the fifth set for me was raised whereas his level kind of went away a little bit."
Aussies out to make history at Wimbledon
Kyrgios last made the quarter-finals at the All England Club as a teenager eight years ago after his extraordinary win over then-World No.1 Rafa Nadal in the fourth round.
On that occasion he then ran out of steam in the face of Milos Raonic's supersonic serving.
His only other grand slam quarter-final appearance was a defeat to Andy Murray at the Australian Open in 2015.
This time he plays a South American baseliner ranked No.43 in the world.
"I look at it as a big opportunity," Kyrgios said.
"Everyone is capable at this point in time. There's eight players left.
"I just want to continue to do the right things physically, professionally.
"My team does such a good job. I do so much physio work. We all stay as a close-knit team. We're just doing this together. Hopefully we can keep going."
Kyrgios' former girlfriend Ajla Tomljanovic is also in quarter-final action on Wednesday, up against Kazakhstan's 17th seed Elena Rybakina.
If Kyrgios and Tomljanovic both manage to prevail, Australia will have a man and woman in the semi-finals at Wimbledon for the first time since Pat Rafter and Jelena Dokic made the last four in 2000.
with AAP
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