Nick Kyrgios on Serena Williams, Coco Gauff and the best-of-five debate in women’s tennis

Nick Kyrgios is one of the sport’s most divisive characters, but there’s no doubt he’s left his mark on the game in more ways than one.

His style, personality and approach are hard to ignore. While some find it refreshing, others see it as disruptive, but either way, he has drawn plenty of attention to tennis over the past decade.

There has been a noticeable shift towards a more inclusive atmosphere in tennis, and part of that change can be attributed to voices like Kyrgios’, who have never shied away from challenging the status quo.

Speaking exclusively to Tennishead, just after discussing Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner’s dominance on the ATP Tour, Kyrgios shared his views on a range of issues within the WTA Tour as well.

Nick Kyrgios comments on Serena Williams’ potential return

Nick Kyrgios started by addressing the ongoing rumours around Serena Williams. Even though she hasn’t confirmed anything herself, there’s been a steady flow of talk that she might be thinking about a comeback.

When asked how the 23-time Grand Slam winner might handle today’s WTA Tour, Kyrgios told Tennishead: “Athletes are getting better every year. It’s hard to say.

“She’s the tennis GOAT, and everyone is chasing her. It’ll be cool to see her back just to watch her again, regardless of the results, to be honest. But don’t underestimate what 23 Slams does for the mental game, she’s been through all the trenches in tennis and knows exactly what it takes to win.”

Serena has reportedly been seen practising with current tour players behind closed doors, though whenever she’s pressed on it, she insists there’s nothing more to it than gossip.

Kyrgios weighs in on women playing best-of-five sets

Kyrgios has never shied away from weighing in on controversial topics. That openness is a big reason why he’s built such a dedicated following, offering perspectives that few others on tour are willing to share.

The idea of women playing best-of-five sets at Grand Slams is one topic that rarely gets much public support from ATP players, but Kyrgios didn’t hesitate to give his take.

While he fully supports the idea that women could handle the format, he actually suggested a change to the men’s side instead: “Yes, women can play best-of-five sets. But honestly, that’s not the main issue.

“Men could play best-of-three sets until the quarterfinals and then best-of-five. That would solve all the scheduling issues at Grand Slams, lead to more upsets, allow fans to watch more matches in a day—the list goes on.”

Kyrgios has spent much of his time recently away from tennis due to injury and hasn’t played professionally since June 2023. Pickleball has filled some of that gap for him lately, where he’s been promoting his partnerships with Picklr and Vulcan.

Nick Kyrgios backs Coco Gauff after post-match incident

Kyrgios ended by weighing in on the coverage surrounding Coco Gauff following her exit from the Australian Open.

Gauff had just lost to Elina Svitolina in straight sets, but she handled herself well, congratulating her opponent before leaving the court.

But away from the cameras, or so she thought, Gauff let out her frustration by smashing her racket against a wall. Video of the moment soon made its way online.

Kyrgios didn’t see an issue with it and was quick to defend her. He told us: “Look, for the sport to grow, it needs access—but not into every inch of our lives. There needs to be spaces where we can get away, relax, and let off some steam without being crucified for it.”

“I stand with Coco; I think she did nothing wrong. She loves the game and showed how much it meant to her—what’s the issue?”

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