I WOULD MENTOR KYRGIOS IF ASKED –MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS

Mark Philippoussis, former Australian tennis player, has offered to help mentor the World No. 13, Nick Kyrgios, if only the young tennis star asks him.

Of recent, Kyrgios has been in the news for so many wrong reasons, and has not had a coach since he stopped working with Todd Larkham, on the eve of the 2015 Wimbledon.

The 2015 Wimbledon Championship had seen Kyrgios fail to return numerous serves in his fourth round loss to Richard Gasquet, and he was accused of tanking – the deliberate act of not playing up to his abilities.

Kyrgios had also generated controversy at the 2015 Rogers Cup during a match with his opponent, Stan Wawrinka. According to reports received, the Australian had told his Swiss opponent “Kokkinakis banged your girlfriend. Sorry to tell you that, mate”.

At the Shangai Rolex Masters in October this year, the 21 year old Australian star was fined US$16,500 and banned for eight weeks for ‘lack of his best efforts’ in his second round of play with Mischa Zverev.

Philippoussis and Kyrgios have some similarities especially in terms of their styles of play and in temperament as well. However, the World Number 13 has not faced any major injury issues while Philippoussis who was two times the runner up in the grand slam, was unable to fulfil his potential due to injuries and other setbacks as well.

The duo will be playing together at Adelaide, in the World Tennis Challenge Exhibition to hold next month and forty year old Philippoussis during an interview with Fox Sports News 500, had said he was open to the idea of working with Kyrgios.

“It (coaching him) is a very interesting thought because I know what he’s capable of and, to be quite honest, I know what he’s going through at stages because I’ve gone through the same thing.”