Wasted potential

[stroke]

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DM41irRte6q/?igsh=MzcyeXl4czY1OWQw

Just a discussion starter. I have long thought that Fabio, Nick, and Bernard were the highest level of wasted potential. Fabio of course had a long career, so he is a bit of a different situation than Nick and Bernard, but he still qualifies in my eyes.

[don_budge]

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DM41i...cyeXl4czY1OWQw

Just a discussion starter. I have long thought that Fabio, Nick, and Bernard were the highest level of wasted potential. Fabio of course had a long career, so he is a bit of a different situation than Nick and Bernard, but he still qualifies in my eyes.

Hands down...Nick "The Jerk" Kyrgios. Greatest waste of space of all time. Nobody can compare the amount of waste to this character. All of his matches against Roger Federer were brilliant. Federer was the only player who could inspire Kygios to give one hundred percent. Bernard is a case of a real bad case of dysfunction more than wasted potential. The other three don't compare to the GOAT of wasted potential.

[stroke]

Certainly Nadal had Nick's attention and effort 100%.

https://youtu.be/_XN0F0OcvzM?si=tQai-VPCBR4qIsP1

[neilchok]

I think Nick was somewhat talented, but I don't think he was as good as people think. I think it is a little overblown that he didn't try at all. To be fit enough to play a 5 setter at the pace ATP pros play at, there is no way you could survive that without a high level of fitness. He had an amazing serve, above average forehand but not as good as other players, good agility, not the greatest volleys, and I would say below average backhand.

[neilchok]

In my opinion the biggest waste of talent was Andre Agassi. II think the coaching he got was terrible when he was younger, and if he had gotten good coaching he would be way better. He basically just used the souped up ball machine his father made. He went to nick's academy and I don't think that place really helped him that much. If he had gone to Lansdorp or other good coaches he would have done significantly better. I think for Maria she got significantly better playing with Lansdorp, and if she stayed at IMG not sure how well she would have turned out.

If he got the coaching Pete Sampras got, I think he would have been much better at volleys and fitness. And maybe a little bit better on the serve.

[doctorhl]

I think Dustin Brown is in the top 10. His ability was way above his brain.

[don_budge]

I think Nick was somewhat talented, but I don't think he was as good as people think. I think it is a little overblown that he didn't try at all. To be fit enough to play a 5 setter at the pace ATP pros play at, there is no way you could survive that without a high level of fitness. He had an amazing serve, above average forehand but not as good as other players, good agility, not the greatest volleys, and I would say below average backhand.

Nick is an exceptionally talented athlete. He also imagines himself to be a pretty good basketball player. I did see a video of him playing and it appeared to me that he had a lot of talent in that game as well. It was his attitude that crippled him. I have never seen such a terrible attitude in the sport of tennis in my life. He was always looking for an excuse to bail in a match. As I wrote in an earlier post you only have to watch his matches against Federer to appreciate how talented he was. His backhand was no liability in those matches. The video of Nadal and Kyrgios is very telling. It does display some ability to play the game but it showcases his miserable attitude. One might say in McEnroe speak...his attitude is the pits of the world.

[don_budge]

Nick Kyrgios...the definition of Wasted Potential

This is the "Mr. Brightside" of Nick "The Jerk" Kyrgios. When he played Roger he was a different animal. He just turned into a different being entirely. I guess only Roger could command the respect that was necessary for Kyrgios to pay attention for the entire match. A real shame. In a way I like Kyrgios. I don't mind when an individual basically tells the rest of the bunch to jump in a lake. The Rebel. The Hostile Underdog. But you have to back it up with performance. John McEnroe did this all the time. He backed up his antics and histrionics. Nick was just looking for an excuse to toss in the towel most of the time. He couldn't be bothered.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hAaAu731lA

[don_budge]

Nick Kyrgios...the definition of Wasted Potential

This is the "Mr. Brightside" of Nick "The Jerk" Kyrgios. When he played Roger he was a different animal. He just turned into a different being entirely. I guess only Roger could command the respect that was necessary for Kyrgios to pay attention for the entire match. A real shame. In a way I like Kyrgios. I don't mind when an individual basically tells the rest of the bunch to jump in a lake. The Rebel. The Hostile Underdog. But you have to back it up with performance. John McEnroe did this all the time. He backed up his antics and histrionics. Nick was just looking for an excuse to toss in the towel most of the time. He couldn't be bothered.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hAaAu731lA

At or near the end of 2017 I started this thread calling it "Match of the Year". I had a couple of interesting things to say in the couple of posts that I wrote. I don't believe that Roger would have won this match had he not have switched racquets. His backhand and the rest of the game was ultra enhanced after the switch. But Kyrgios was so good in the match. His talent on full display. He was still like a bomb ready to go off but somehow composed himself throughout and held it together...until it was time to shake hands. Sheer Kyrgios. He spoiled a great moment. He was the definition of wasted potential.

https://www.tennisplayer.net/bulletin/forum/tennisplayer/67460-2017-the-match-of-the-year