'I'm very rough around the edges' - Nick Kyrgios recalls swearing in front of the Royal Box at the 2022 Wimbledon final

Known for his volatility on and off the court, tennis star Nick Kyrgios made headlines when he dropped F-bombs in front of the Royal box during the 2022 Wimbledon final. Now the Australian looks back at the incident, and admits his personality is not suitable for tennis.

The Canberra native took the field by storm at SW19 in 2022, defeating fourth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas in a temperamental encounter in the third round en route to the final. However, Kyrgios was unable to overcome Novak Djokovic, as the Serbian prevailed in four sets to win another Wimbledon trophy.

Touted as one of the most naturally gifted tennis players in recent memory, Kyrgios has been unable to take advantage of his talent. The 30-year old has never broken into the top 10, and has failed to progress beyond the quarterfinals at every other Grand Slam tournament.

Speaking to reporters at the Esports World Cup in Riyadh, Kyrgios reflected on his rambunctious personality. The former World No.13 admitted he has a controversial approach to the sport, and was non-apologetic when recalling dropping F-bombs in front of the Royal Box during his Wimbledon final against Djokovic.

Kyrgios admits to not fitting the mold for a tennis player

"When I played in front of the Royal Box at Wimbledon, I was throwing F-bombs," said the Aussie. "It's been a struggle to kind of fit in, but now I kind of embrace it. I'm not going to change for anyone. I think my passion was basketball and gaming, and I was thrown into a sport where tennis is very clean cut.
"I'm very rough around the edges, and I didn't really fit the mold for a tennis player I really struggled with that early in my career. Now I'm embracing it, and I'm glad I'm able to put on a show."

The seven-time ATP singles titlist has been struggling with injuries over the past two years. Kyrgios made an appearance at the 2025 Australian Open in front of his home crowd, but lost in the first round to British star Jacob Fearnley. Recently, he teamed with Frenchman Gael Monfils to play doubles at the DC Open, and is scheduled to compete at the mixed doubles event at the upcoming US Open.