Two Australian tennis greats have warned Nick Kyrgios to brace for the toughest period of his career as he aims to continue his boom rise up the rankings when he resumes playing in Toronto this week.
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Wally Masur and Todd Woodbridge believe Kyrgios is good enough to rise into the world's top 10, but 16-time Grand Slam doubles winner Woodbridge says the teenager needs to prepare to absorb pressure and expectation.
Kyrgios will play in tournaments in Toronto and Cincinnati before the US Open in New York at the end of this month.
The 19-year-old soared to fame following his Wimbledon campaign last month, rising from world No.144 to inside the top 60 after he beat Rafael Nadal and made the quarter-finals.
"I was talking to Pat Cash at Wimbledon, and he was saying from now on the expectations change [on Kyrgios], the game has changed," Masur said.
"He's going to be hunted, people are more aware of him now. The top guys don't want to lose their places and the next two years are going to be really hard for Nick.
"He might have uncharacteristic losses ... it's a whole different world. But if he can embrace being a professional ... he knows how to play tennis and the big thing will be developing physically."
Masur and Woodbridge were in Canberra on Monday to launch Tennis ACT's three-year plan to host $50,000 challenger tournaments and a bid for Davis Cup and Fed Cup ties from next year.
The new $27 million Lyneham facility is perfectly timed for Kyrgios' tennis rise, the former Daramalan College student choosing to relocate back to Canberra instead of basing himself in Melbourne.
Masur and Woodbridge both backed Kyrgios' decision to return home in between his international commitments.
"Nick's going to be on the road for 35-38 weeks of the year from now on," Woodbridge said.
"It's now about how he learns to cope with the stresses that come with his career. Players will be chatting about him in the locker room, they'll be watching and they'll find ways to break his game down.
"He has to absorb that and then get better. Nick's not afraid of competing or big occasions ... this could be a difficult run for him.
"He may not win a game in the Masters and that could dent his confidence, but of all the young players in the world I think Nick is the only one who's ready to stay at this level."
Kyrgios has overtaken Bernard Tomic as the most promising prospect in Australian tennis.
He spent three weeks in Australia training for his run to the US Open following his quarter-final appearance at Wimbledon.
The 19-year-old has also shaken up his coaching set-up, splitting with Simon Rea to start a tag-team coaching duo of Todd Larkham and Josh Eagle.
Kyrgios is ranked as the world No.69 with Tomic three places back at No.72.
"I think [Kyrgios' rise] has fuelled that desire for Bernard," Masur said.
"Tennis is individual, but when you're Australian, the last thing you want to do is be beaten by another Australian.
"I can't help but think it's a coincidence that Tomic wins a week after Kyrgios did his thing at Wimbledon."
Kyrgios ramped up his preparations with hitting sessions against Roger Federer, world No.1 Novak Djokovic and Lleyton Hewitt in the past week.
He will play in Toronto, before moving to Cincinnati and he has the comfort of not having to rely on qualifying or a grand slam wildcard for the US Open.
"@NickKyrgios Good hit today bro.. U were firing those serves well! Save some power for tourney ;-)" seven-time grand slam champion Djokovic wrote on Twitter.
Kyrgios has earned a wildcard entry for the pre-US Open event, joining fellow Australians Hewitt, Marinko Matosevic, Tomic and Thanasi Kokkinakis.
Kyrgios first faces Colombia's Santiago Giraldo, with the winner to play eighth seed Andy Murray in the second round, while Kokkinakis takes on South African Kevin Anderson.
