Nick Kyrgios' mum Nill explains why she's 'a wreck'

It was the Australian No.3's mum who had players and parents in stitches as she officially opened the 2021 Margaret Court Cup at te Albury on Thursday.

Nill Krygios is a former Albury High School student. She spent her formative years on the border before she moved to Canberra and offered some insight into the travails of being a parent of an ultra-talented but often polarising figure.

The older she gets, the more difficult Nill finds it to watch her son's matches.

"I don't watch him anymore, I'm a wreck," she laughed.

"A good friend and I went to the Australian Open one year and we had good seats. It was in the middle of the match or even before the match and I said to her 'I've just got to go to the ladies' and I never came back.

"I love the atmosphere, but I think it's hard for parents to watch because we can't help.

"It doesn't matter what he does, whether he's behaving badly or winning, I can't do anything."

Nill was thrilled to be asked by tournament director Phil Shanahan to open the event. A return to the Albury grass courts brought back memories of Nick's years at the Margaret Court Cup as a junior.

"I remember Nick playing in this tournament when he was about eight and when I arrived here yesterday (Wednesday) I saw a shed that looked familiar," she said.

"I remember Nick was trying to beat a guy a lot bigger, taller and older than him and, of course, he lost badly.

"He threw a spit and I told him to get in the shed.

"I said 'don't come out until you've calmed down' because he was crying and carrying on because he lost.

"He was so competitive that he just couldn't hold onto his emotions. I guess he's got a little bit better, maybe (laughs).

"Being where I grew up in my last years of high school, I love it here.

"I would never have believed I would be here to open the event as opposed to just watching. It's very special."

Shanahan said it was great for Nill to share her journey with Nick as a parent and can't wait to see the tournament in full swing on Friday.

"We've got it started. We're well down on previous years with numbers, but the local kids are so excited to play a tournament after 12 months," he said.

"It's going to be a lot of fun over the next couple of days.

"We've got some great players on the Border and I really hope they all bring their best tennis here."