Former Australian Davis Cup team captain Wally Masur thinks that fellow rising compatriot Nick Kyrgios has a chance at the upcoming Roland Garros. It's no secret that world number 19 Kyrgios prefers faster surfaces like hard and grass, as they better suit his style. The second Grand Slam event of the season, Roland Garros, is played on the slowest tennis surface -- clay.
However, Kyrgios' big serve and heavy groundstrokes could do some damage even on such a slow surface, insists Masur. Australian Kyrgios is set to make his fifth consecutive and fifth overall appearance at Roland Garros once the event kicks off on May 28th.
Kyrgios has yet to make it past the third-round at the tournament. Kyrgios lost to world number one Andy Murray last year and Frenchman Richard Gasquet a year earlier.
Masur said that ''you can play on anything'' when you serve as well as Kyrgios does.
''Nick’s obviously got firepower from the back of the court,'' Masur continued, as quoted by Tennismash. ''And he actually moves pretty well on clay – he slides and he’s balanced, which (can sometimes be) quite a problem for Australian players if they don’t play much on it.''
Masur added that Kyrgios' grips, certainly those on his forehand side, ''are suited to a higher ball,'' so the height of the bounce at Roland Garros won't be ''problematic'' for him.
Dealing with things away from the tennis court
Nick Kyrgios recently lost his grandfather, who was battling cancer. A couple of weeks ago, Kyrgios made a decision to skip the Estoril Open due to the death.
When he returned as part of the Madrid Masters, he noted: ''I'm happy to be back out here but obviously my mind isn't fully invested in tennis at the minute.
It's tough,'' he said after his first-round win over Marcos Baghdatis, as revealed by Tennis World USA. It turned out to be a not-so-great campaign in Madrid for Kyrgios, who was defeated by eventual champion Rafa Nadal in the last-16 stage.
A big challenge lies ahead for Kyrgios
Nick Kyrgios would certainly love to make amends for his shocking second-round loss at the opening Grand Slam of the season -- The Australian Open.
Kyrgios received a lot of criticism and wasn't in a good spot after the loss he suffered in front of his home fans. A good result at Roland Garros would be a great statement for Kyrgios.
However, it's easier said than done. Kyrgios is set to be battling on his least favorite surface, without much preparation, during one of the most challenging times of his life. Will Kyrgios be able to get through all of this and leave his mark in Paris?