Kyrgios capable of making top 10 - Hewitt

Omnisports

January 1, 2016 3:20 AM

Nick Kyrgios is capable of making the world's top 10, according to Lleyton Hewitt, who said: "He's got a great platform to build on."

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Lleyton Hewitt has backed fellow Australian Nick Kyrgios to break into the top 10 of the ATP rankings.

Former world number one Hewitt, a two-time Grand Slam champion, will retire following this month's Australian Open in Melbourne and focus on a new role as his country's Davis Cup captain.

That position will give Hewitt the opportunity to provide guidance to Kyrgios, who has been earmarked for some time as a potential star despite often finding himself at the centre of controversy.

Asked if Kyrgios - currently 30th in the rankings - can be a top-10 player, Hewitt replied: "He certainly can.

"He hadn't played too many tournaments [in 2015] and he can match it with the best guys in the world so on his day he is capable of beating anyone and that's the kind of power and talent that he has out there.

"It's just a matter of doing that week in week out. But the big thing with Nick is that he likes playing on the bigger stages and biggest tournaments and that's big for the Davis Cup and grand slams.

"He's got a great platform to build on for the next three to five years."

Kyrgios and Hewitt are each in action at the Hopman Cup, which starts on Sunday. They will team up with Daria Gavrilova and Jarmila Gajdosova respectively.

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