Nick Kyrgios is deep into his pre-Wimbledon verbal jousting, with the 2022 finalist a completely unknown quantity when play begins on Monday.
With January knee surgery keeping him from the Australian Open and only one match on his dance card this season – a first-round loss last month on grass in Stuttgart – the Australian has little to recommend him at the moment.
But a lack of form is hardly stopping the 28-year-old who lost to Novak Djokovic in the title match here 12 months ago.
Kyrgios is happily touting his own chances, counting on bluster as much as anything else to help him through.
“The fact that I’ve already obtained such a good result there and I know center court very well will help me,” he said.
“I know what I have to do to be successful. I think I no longer have pressure.”
The 33rd-ranked Aussie is not overly concerned with any pressure to repeat his career breakthrough performance of a year ago.
“People always say that once you get results, that’s when the pressure kicks in.
“But, for me, it’s been the other way around my whole career.
“When I’ve won tournaments or when I’ve done very well, it’s almost the opposite.
“It’s almost like you’ve proven yourself and now you can just kick back and have fun.”
He added; “I don’t have anything left to prove in my career to be honest.
“I’ve beaten some amazing players, won some really big tournaments, reached a Grand Slam final and won a doubles Grand Slam.
“That’s why you work. So now you can really have fun and just enjoy it.”
