Nick Kyrgios backed by Lleyton Hewitt but urged to play more tennis to fulfil potential

Tennis star Nick Kyrgios recently spoke about his struggles with depression, self-harm and substance abuse.

Kyrgios's revelation came as he described the condition of his mental health around the time of the 2019 Australian Open.

They were dark moments for Kyrgios that Australian Davis Cup captain Lleyton Hewitt had been aware of for years.

«I've spoken to him consistently every few weeks over the years,» Hewitt said.

«I understand the tough times that he's been through in the past.

»It's hard when you are always out as the centre of attention and people assume all the time that everything is rosy and it's not."

Hewitt said he regularly spoke with Kyrgios during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Australian tennis entertainer Nick Kyrgios opens up on battling serious depression in a raw post on social media.

«I get along extremely well with Nick,» he said.

«We have plenty of open discussions. The last two years have been tough for him.

»Nick enjoys being home and he doesn't like travelling all the time and it's tough being an Australian player, especially with the pandemic, and not being able to come back [to Australia].

«It's been tough for all of the Aussie players and they're not in the best head space.»

Kyrgios has said he was in a much better place now, which was evident during the Australian Open when he claimed the men's doubles title alongside close friend Thanasi Kokkinakis.

But he is a notable omission from Australia's Davis Cup squad for its qualifying tie against Hungary, which takes place in Sydney on Friday and Saturday.

Hewitt denied reports Kyrgios was overlooked for selection, saying he wanted the 26-year-old in his squad.

«For us it's disappointing that he wasn't available for this particular tie, but he's [in] the top five