‘I almost don’t know who I am anymore’ – Nick Kyrgios on new work ethic after reaching US Open third round

Nick Kyrgios says his run to the Wimbledon final has inspired him to become “really professional” – although he admits it has also left him wondering “who I am”.

WARNING: Strong language in below tweet

However, Kyrgios chose to focus on the positives in his post-match press conference and said his defeat to Novak Djokovic at SW19 has made him much more willing to give tennis his all.

“This year’s been amazing in so many different ways. For my tennis, I kind of wanted to almost reinvent myself, get back to the top of the game where I know I belong,” he said.

“The Wimbledon final was a turning point I think for me mentally. If I won that match, I don’t know where my motivation would have been at. Losing it and being so close, it was really tough for me to kind of swallow that.

“Winning Washington, winning so many matches, I just feel like I thought the pressure would be off me after winning Wimbledon. He’s a Wimbledon finalist, he’s nearly-over-the-hump-type thing. For me, personally, I didn’t think I’d be putting this amount of pressure on myself. Every day I come in, I watch what I eat, I try and get sleep. Like every practice session I try and have good intent.

“I almost don’t know who I am anymore, to be honest, because that’s not me. Trying to balance so many different things out. It’s hard as well. The media, the fans are crazy everywhere I go. I’m trying to balance my personal life as well as my tennis. It’s just a lot.

“I feel like I’m really professional right now. I never thought that the Wimbledon final would make me that way. I thought it would be the other way, the reverse, almost a bit lax and a bit chilled with it.

Kyrgios will next face American J.J. Wolf in the third round.

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