What Rod Laver said was the only thing holding Nick Kyrgios back from being world number one

Nick Kyrgios is often seen as a talent who never quite fulfilled his potential, at least in the eyes of some tennis fans.

Kyrgios himself, along with plenty of supporters, would likely disagree with that assessment.

He reached a Grand Slam singles final, even taking the opening set, and also claimed a doubles title alongside one of his closest mates. It’s not the career some might have expected given his natural ability.

Rod Laver made headlines back in 2017 when he spoke about Kyrgios’ future. The Aussie legend suggested there was only one thing holding him back from reaching the top spot in the world rankings.

Rod Laver saw potential in Nick Kyrgios back in 2017

During a press conference before that year’s Australian Open, the tennis legend was talking about the hopes of an Aussie making a deep run in Melbourne.

Kyrgios was naturally at the centre of those discussions.

Laver remarked: “Ability-wise, he could be the best tennis player in the world.”

But he also pointed out that Kyrgios was his own biggest obstacle.

The 11-time Grand Slam winner continued: “He plays some magnificent tennis, but then something gets in the way and he finds himself being challenged by other things, whether behaviour or whatever seems to come up.”

Laver went on to say: “Looking at maybe (his) maturity … he’s still very young on the world tour. I want him to be the best player in the world. We need another great Australian champion.”

Laver also later commented on what Kyrgios could gain from losing the 2022 Wimbledon final, adding another interesting perspective from one of tennis’ most respected voices.

What is Nick Kyrgios doing now?

It’s unfortunate that Kyrgios, who once looked like a future Grand Slam champion and even reached a Wimbledon final, has managed just one tour-level singles match since March 2025.

It hasn’t been by choice. A string of injuries, particularly to his wrist, has completely thrown off the trajectory of his career.

Just as it seemed the talented but often divisive Australian was ready to put it all together, everything started to go wrong.

But there is some good news. Kyrgios recently told us he’s aiming to return during the grass-court season and hopes to be playing regularly again soon after.

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