ATP: Two psychologists: Nick Kyrgios is trying to make a fresh start.

Nick Kyrgios polarized. The Enfant Terrible from Australia has had an extremely mixed season – and now, with the help of two psychologists, wants to experience a more constant year 2019.

Nick Kyrgios looks satisfied and happy in the photos that show the 23-year-old on Canberra International Kids Day in his Australian home this weekend. Which is not only due to the warming sun in the capital.

Kyrgios enjoys the exchange with the children, “it gives me a chance to feel normal,” he told The Canberra Times. Feeling normal – a state that Kyrgios does not always experience on the square. The 1.98 m slag is well known for its raster, is cornering and often stands completely beside itself.

He is a polarizing ball virtuoso who, if he feels like it, can stroke the felt ball like no other with a lot of feeling. But on the other hand she also uses brute force and, as in Toronto for example, carpets the corners of the court with over 200 km/h. Or another time just playing like that and dragging himself across the field, as if he simply has “zero appetite” for the whole tennis crap. A border crosser who often walks a narrow ridge in every respect.

But “Kygs”, which has established a foundation (“The NK Foundation”) that supports neglected children, has sought help with a view to 2019. “I’ve struggled with a few things on and off the court this year. It wasn’t easy,” said the world-ranked 38th, who currently works with two psychologists, one in Australia and one overseas.

“I want to be mentally fit. And I feel better now to talk openly about this help. I no longer have the feeling that I have to hide these things,” explained Kyrgios – and practiced self-criticism. It is known to be an important step towards improvement.

“I probably let it slide for too long,” he said in view of his psychological problems. Although Kyrgios has consulted experts on several occasions in the past, the unconditional willingness to change was probably not there.

Kyrgios wants to be prepared for the next season, which should run better for him than the previous one. In February 2018 he was still number 14 in the world. Meanwhile he is 24 places worse, also due to injury problems – and is currently only the Australian number three behind youngster Alex de Minaur (33rd) and John Millman (35th).

The eccentric man from Down Under also wants to revise and streamline his game plan. “I want to find the right tuning so I don’t feel mentally burned out and physically bad. In the past few years, I’ve never been able to get the right schedule right. I never made it healthy to the end of the season,” said Kyrgios.