Nick Kyrgios has credited Andy Murray for taking action when he noticed signs that the Australian had been self-harming. Kyrgios has been open about his mental health struggles in recent years, previously admitting that he “ended up in a psych ward” following his Wimbledon 2019 exit. And the former world No 13 has now told the story of how Murray stepped in while he was struggling.
Kyrgios and Murray have long shared a friendship on the tennis tour and in a new interview on TalkTV’s Piers Morgan Uncensored show, the 28-year-old publicly thanked the Brit for raising concerns about his mental health. “Andy was always a big supporter of me,” the 2022 Wimbledon finalist said.
“As soon as I came on the tour, he kind of saw a work in progress and took me under his wing. Then he realised later in my career that I don’t think I was coachable or I was on my own path, but he was always someone that was looking out for me.”
Murray’s support proved valuable while Kyrgios was struggling with his mental health, as the three-time Grand Slam champion spotted signs of self-harm on his arm and told the Australian’s manager John Morris, according to a report in The Times. Kyrgios continued: “He saw it [the self-harm] and he said, ‘What’s that on your arm?’
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“It was pretty bad at that stage. Andy obviously was trying to give me advice on it. But I was just so stuck in my ways at that time that I didn’t listen. Obviously I’m very thankful. I thank him a lot.”
Kyrgios has already addressed his battles with depression and substance abuse in the past. Earlier this year, the seven-time title winner confessed that he previously wore his trademark arm sleeve to cover up scars that were on his arm.
And during his interview with Morgan, the 28-year-old admitted that he was in a dark place for a couple of years. “I think it was all a year-and-a-half to two years of just complete harm,” he added. “It was pretty dark to be honest. I hated myself. I hated waking up and being Nick Kyrgios.”
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Kyrgios is now in a much better place and enjoyed the best season of his career in 2022, reaching his first Grand Slam singles final at Wimbledon and winning the Australian Open men’s doubles title with Thanasi Kokkinakis. The former world No 13 now takes pride in being able to help those who have faced similar challenges.
“I feel like I’ve helped so many people after I opened up about it and put it on social media,” Kyrgios explained. “I’ve almost been a beacon for people who are struggling. When they feel like they’re overwhelmed and they’re going towards drinking, drugs and stuff, they open up and they feel like I’m relatable.
“That’s been the most powerful thing in my career; people coming to me with genuine issues. They send me photos in my Instagram, direct messages, self-harming and genuinely wanting to commit suicide. I have conversations with these people. Sometimes I’ve had phone calls with these people. That’s making a real difference and I’m just really proud.”
If you are affected by any of these issues, contact the Samaritans on 116 123 or at samaritans.org
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