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Nick Kyrgios and the mystery of temperament

So The New York Times Magazine’s US Open Special is basically a cover story on bad boy du jour Nick Kyrgios, pictured biting on the cross he wears around his neck and, oh, you can imagine the posts in response – not just about the cross but on Nick in general. 

But the cross is an interesting metaphor here. Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?” (Matthew 16: 24-36)

What indeed. ...

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At the US Open – The two temperaments (Nick and Andy); plus Rafa and the recent past

Two terrific matchups in Round 1 of the US Open, which begins today – Andy Murray versus Nick Kyrgios and Rafael Nadal versus Borna Ćorić.

But really it’s the battle of the two temperaments and Rafa versus his recent past.

Not for nothing is “A star is” Borna known as “Baby Nole.” That range, that return, that poise – all at 18. He’s already beaten Rafa (at Basel in October) but really, it’s more than that. For Rafa’s it’s got to be like looking in a mirror at when it all began to unravel for him, back in 2011. ...

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Nick Kyrgios receives further punishment – sort of

So follow this: Nick Kyrgios has been fined an additional $25,000 and suspended 28 days for going all Scarlet Letter on Stan Wawrinka’s girlfriend, tennis player Donna Vekic, at the Rogers Cup.

Except he hasn’t been. Nick will only pay the additional fine and serve the suspension if he misbehaves over the course of a six-month period ending Feb. 24. ...

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