The stunning performance by Canberra's Nick Kyrgios at Wimbledon has sparked enormous pride in his home city, especially in the ACT tennis community.
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Kyrgios' three-sets-to-one victory over world No. 1 Rafael Nadal in the early hours of Wednesday morning has propelled the previously unknown unseeded 19-year-old into tennis conversations all around the world.
And while most Canberra children would have been asleep as Kyrgios secured his win on centre court in London, the buzz about the victory and the prospect of his bright future is likely to encourage many to pick up a racquet.
Friend of Kyrgios and tennis coach Robbie Manzano, who was coaching junior players at Reid Tennis Club on Wednesday, said members of Canberra's "Hot Shots" junior programs would be among the most inspired.
“The success of Kyrgios and some of our young coaches that have been teaching our new Hot Shots and cardio tennis, have really got the community interested,” Mr Manzano said.
Thousands of children across the nation are learning the game through the implementation of Tennis Australia’s grassroots program. Its aim is to engage children under the age of 10 through the use of smaller courts, smaller nets, smaller racquets and low compression balls.
Tennis ACT chief executive Ross Triffitt said the number of children registering to play had grown strongly and he hoped Kyrgios' success would accelerate the sport's growth.
“[Hot Shots] is going from strength to strength. It's really engaging young people in the sport,” Mr Triffitt said.
ACT Minister for Sport Andrew Barr said he was a firm believer that success in elite sport drove grassroots participation.
“I have no doubt Nick Kyrgios’ success at tennis will be a great boost for the sport of tennis” he said.
Mr Barr said regardless of the outcome of Kyrgios' match overnight, the territory should be proud of his achievements.
“There’s no doubt now is a great moment for tennis in Canberra, with Kyrgios’ achievements we are going to have a significant boost to community tennis,” said Mr Barr.
At Kyrgios' former secondary school, Daramalan College, a sign outside expressed congratulations for the recent graduate.
His former PE teacher Roy Jaques said Kyrgios had always shown the potential that he could reach the world stage.
"Nick was such a driven student as he continued down elite pathways with constant training and guidance. We were rapt to find out he beat the world number one,” Mr Jaques said.
