Nick Kyrgios, the Australian tennis star, has expressed deep gratitude towards fellow player Andy Murray for his support during Kyrgios’ mental health struggles. In a candid revelation, Kyrgios shared that he “genuinely contemplated” suicide and underwent treatment in a psychiatric hospital following his loss at Wimbledon in 2019. This period of distress led Kyrgios to get a sleeve tattoo on his right arm to conceal signs of self-harm.
Kyrgios, speaking on TalkTV’s ‘Piers Morgan Uncensored’, recalled a significant interaction with Murray. “He [Murray] saw it [the self-harm], and he said, ‘What’s that on your arm?’ At that stage, it was pretty bad. Andy tried to give me advice, but I was so stuck in my ways that I didn’t listen. Obviously, I’m very thankful. I thank him a lot.”
The Times reported that Murray, a three-time Grand Slam champion, noticed the marks on Kyrgios’ arm during a practice session and subsequently alerted Kyrgios’ manager, John Morris, to his concern.
“Andy was always a big supporter of me,” added Kyrgios, 28. “From the start of my career, he saw a work in progress and took me under his wing. He realized later that I was on my own path, but he always looked out for me.”
In February 2022, Kyrgios shared a candid Instagram post detailing his mental health challenges, including suicidal thoughts and difficulties in 2019, even highlighting the self-harm marks in a photo from the Australian Open. He concluded the post by affirming that he is now in a much better place.
Kyrgios, who reached the Wimbledon final last year, losing to Novak Djokovic, now sees his ability to help others with mental health issues as the most “powerful thing” in his career. “I’ve become a beacon for people who are struggling,” he said. “When they feel overwhelmed and turn to drinking and drugs, they open up to me because they find me relatable. That’s been the most powerful thing in my career, helping people with genuine issues.”
