“I thank him a lot” – Kyrgios grateful for mental health support from Andy Murray

The Australian has spoken candidly in the past about his struggles with depression and has recently thanked Murray for his support when Kyrgios was struggling

Andy Murray and Nick Kyrgios

Jamie Malachy

December 2, 2023

Nick Kyrgios has spoken of his gratitude towards the support that Andy Murray showed him through his struggles with mental health.

The Australian revealed earlier this year that he spent time in a psychiatric hospital after being knocked out of Wimbledon in 2019, and has spoken openly in recent months about grappling with depression.

Speaking on TalkTV, Kyrgios explained that Murray had noticed signs of self-harm on the Australian’s arm, prompting the Scot to share his concerns for Kyrgios’ wellbeing with his manager John Morris.

Kyrgios has said that he’s since covered up these marks with a sleeve tattoo.

“He [Murray] saw it [the self-harm], and he said, ‘What’s that on your arm?'” Kyrgios said.

Kyrgios playing against Djokovic in the 2022 Wimbledon final

Respect and gratitude from nick Kyrgios

Kyrgios and Murray have enjoyed a good relationship with each other throughout their careers, with the Australian frequently citing the former world No 1 as one of the players he most respects.

But only recently has the extent of Murray’s support through Kyrgios’ mental struggles been fully understood.

“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,” Kyrgios said.

“Obviously I’m very thankful. I thank him a lot.

“Andy was always a big supporter of me. 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.”

Kyrgios’ runner-up speech after winning the 2022 Wimbledon final to Djokovic

Despite having been side-lined throughout most of the 2023 season, Kyrgios added that he is in a much better place than he was in 2019 and at other points in his life when he was battling the lowest ebbs of depression.

Having put together the most successful summer of his career in 2022, reaching the Wimbledon final before winning the Citi Open in Washington DC, Kyrgios’ surge was halted at the end of last year with a knee injury that decimated his season in 2023.

While he remains hopeful of making a full recovery, Kyrgios’ highly-rated recent foray into tennis television punditry demonstrates that the multi-talented Australian will have many options when he does eventually decide to hang up his racquet for good.