Flawed genius Nick Kyrgios 'comfortable' with himself

The enigmatic Australian stunned the tennis world as a 19-year-old in 2014 when he beat then world number one Rafael Nadal on his way to the Wimbledon quarter-finals. But frequent tantrums and fines have overshadowed his undoubted talent and he has never achieved a better finish at a Grand Slam. Eight years on, Kyrgios again finds himself in the last eight at Wimbledon and this time with a serious chance to realise his full potential.

Nadal has in the past described Kyrgios as "not a bad guy" despite his antics on court, saying he is a player of huge talent who could be fighting for the number one spot. But Greek star Stefanos Tsitsipas, Kyrgios's victim in a tempestuous third-round clash at the All England Club this year, said the Australian has an "evil side" and is a "bully". Kyrgios, 27, laughed off those accusations and was on his best behaviour in his fourth-round win against US player Brandon Nakashima.

He will hope a looming court case in Australia involving a case of assault, reported this week, does not prove a distraction. Tennis coach Andrew Bulley recalls a "small, chubby and energetic" Kyrgios who turned up at the National Sports Club in Lyneham, Canberra, as a four-year-old, keen to take lessons with his older brother and sister. He was always better than his peers but "he wasn't anything super special" until a growth spurt in his early teens meant Kyrgios developed into a tall player with an explosive serve now rated one of the best in the business.