Nick Kyrgios is slogging away, going through his paces on the practice court.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Not far away is James McCabe, a youngster hoping to break into the elite ranks.
A relative unknown, McCabe does not come with the hype and expectation that surrounds the Canberran.
But that didn't stop Kyrgios from taking the time to mentor his contemporary.
It wasn't the first time he has taken emerging players under his wing, the world No.26 also forming a bond with Alex de Minaur.
If all goes to plan, the pair could clash in the quarter-finals of the US Open. Kyrgios will start his campaign on Tuesday (AEST) with a first-round date with doubles partner Thanasi Kokkinakis.
Australians rarely see Kyrgios the mentor. It's a world away from the meltdowns that dominate the headlines.
It's no surprise, however, to those in the tennis world.
"You don't see every side of every person do you," former great Wally Masur said. "Nick has a lot of time for those younger players.
"He spent a lot of time on court with James, talking to him, encouraging him. He was also like that with Alex.
"When Nick does spend time on court with other players and helps them, you hear him talk and he thinks deeply about the game."
Kyrgios has long been a bundle of contradictions.
One of the most naturally gifted players to grace a tennis court in recent years but he seems to wish he was playing in the NBA.
A kind heart and committed family man with a fuse so short even the slightest trigger can set him off.
All this while we've been waiting for the 27-year-old to grow up.
Masur is one of many who believed Kyrgios would eventually turn a corner.
"I'm surmising but winning the title in the doubles at the Australian Open with Thanasi, he seemed to enjoy being there at the business end of a grand slam.
"He's been through COVID, he took some time away from the game, that allowed him to get a bit of perspective and he realised what he's got.
"He's always had the game, playing in the right emotional state and enjoying yourself is the key. That's been the case for Nick the last few months."
For those who have stood by Kyrgios, the past few months have provided a return on their investment.
Finally he is living up to the potential that saw him defeat Rafael Nadal at Wimbledon as a 19-year-old.
It was on the grass courts in London that Kyrgios' second coming commenced.
A grand slam was within his grasp before he ran into a red-hot Novak Djokovic in the Wimbledon final.
Djokovic, of course, is not in New York after being denied entry into the US due to his refusal to get vaccinated.
Kyrgios quickly proved his Wimbledon success was no flash in the pan, taking out the doubles titles at the Atlanta and Washington Opens along with the singles crown in Washington.
MORE TENNIS NEWS:
A run to the quarter-final at the Canadian Open followed before the Canberran returned to his old ways in a straight-sets second round loss to Taylor Fritz at the Cincinnati Open.
That effort had alarm bells ringing for former AIS sports psychologist Jeff Bond.
"There was a period there early in his US tour where I thought he was maturing," Bond said. "He strung together a series of matches and was going very well.
"Then he decided to show us the other side, which wasn't very flash. It was the old Kyrgios. Something triggers that behaviour."
Kyrgios' success comes as he appears to have found peace off the court.
There have still been off-court incidents and questions remain how they will impact his US Open.
Should results play out as expected, Kyrgios is set for a third-round clash with 16th seed Roberto Bautista Agut. World No.1 and defending champion Daniil Medvedev likely awaits in the fourth.
This comes as court proceedings in Australia continue, the Canberran charged with common assault, the case due back in court in October.
That is on top of defamation action launched last week by the woman Kyrgios accused of being drunk during the Wimbledon final.
Bond has observed Kyrgios throughout his career and he feels the pieces of the puzzle are falling into place.
One or two pieces remain unsolved, with fans likely to ride the rollercoaster until he completes the puzzle.
"It's a giant jigsaw and to do well consistently, you have to have all of the pieces in place," Bond said. "When Nick is going well, the jigsaw is looking complete.
"I think down in the corner there's a piece missing, waiting to create some havoc when things don't go well.
"When he's focused, he's a difficult player to beat, but there's still that piece of the jigsaw he can't find. That's what's going to bite him when the going gets tough."
MORE CANBERRA SPORT NEWS:
Will Kyrgios ever find that missing piece? That could be the difference between retiring with or without a grand slam title.
"Most of us eventually find that missing piece," Bond said.
"I just hope he's going to find it while he's still able to perform at this level."
We've made it a whole lot easier for you to have your say. Our new comment platform requires only one log-in to access articles and to join the discussion on The Canberra Times website. Find out how to register so you can enjoy civil, friendly and engaging discussions. See our moderation policy here.
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:
- Bookmark canberratimes.com.au
- Download our app
- Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular headlines newsletters
- Follow us on Twitter
- Follow us on Instagram