Tennis player-turned-BBC commentator Nick Kyrgios “proved to be quiet, thoughtful, deferential, the unostentatious opposite of his on-court demeanor” in his debut for the network's Wimbledon coverage yesterday, according to Jim White of the London TELEGRAPH. White wrote Kyrgios was “less the serial narcissist, more the seasoned observer. And one entirely on message.” If producers were “hoping for a bit of controversy” from their new signing, they “must have been hugely disappointed” -- as Kyrgios turned out to be “all calm, rational observation.” The “only moment of anything approaching levity” that Kyrgios provided was when he responded to a “would-be comedy shouter” among the Centre Court crowd with the line “the Pimm's is kicking in." White wrote given “how self-absorbed he is on court,” it was “surprising how much detail he had observed of others. And how much he sought others’ opinion” (
London TELEGRAPH, 7/1).
CLEARING THE AIR: In London, Lawrence Ostlere noted Kyrgios has “defended his role as a pundit on the BBC’s Wimbledon coverage” after the network was “criticised for hiring the controversial tennis player.” In 2022, Kyrgios pled guilty to pushing his then-girlfriend Chiara Passari onto a pavement during an argument, causing her minor injuries. In an interview with journalist Piers Morgan, Kyrgios insisted that the incident "had been 'dealt with'" while adding that he “would enhance the BBC’s coverage.” Kyrgios said, “But I just want to have a great time, I want to give them another aspect of someone they would never hire, which is cool. I think it’s going to be good for me to get in there and bring my side to the game. And ultimately it’s helping tennis. I just want tennis to grow” (
London INDEPENDENT, 7/1).
