Wimbledon: Nick Kyrgios shocked by criticism

London: Brash Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios says he is shocked by the criticism levelled at him and admits to feeling lost and confused. The 20-year-old's antics at Wimbledon, including claims of "tanking", arguing with umpires and sarcasm in press conferences, has been slammed in the Australian media with The Australian broadsheet yesterday saying his reputation was in tatters.

"For sure you have those doubts and those thoughts," he told Fairfax Media in an interview published yesterday about wanting to walk away from tennis. "I definitely don't love the sport. I like it to a degree, but I don't love it.

"It's been tough for me waking up everyday with negative messages. People don't really know what goes on in my life. I've read a lot of what's been said about me. I've read a whole lot.

Tough to digest
"Comments like ‘he shouldn't be representing Australia', ‘he's a disgrace'. It's tough to read. I'm human. I don't really want them to love me. I don't want their love, but everyone deserves respect."

"I think that's something that makes me a good tennis player - the amount of belief I have in myself and how I back myself. The way I talk to the crowd and do all that stuff, that's when I play my best tennis," he said.