Nick Kyrgios reveals 'internal battles' as he open up about struggles with alcohol

Nick Kyrgios has revealed the moment his mental health hit rock bottom at the same time as his career was on the ascendency.

The tennis star, 27, opened up about his "internal struggles", that saw him abuse alcohol and drugs as well as battle with depression and self-harm.

The Australian told The Sunday Times Magazine that his worst period – during which he'd considered suicide – came between the ages of 22 and 24.

He said: "That's scary for me because someone can seem like they're on top of the world, but you never truly understand the internal battles that someone's going through."

Kyrgios, who was the runner-up in the men's finals at Wimbledon last year, recalled how he used to consume between 20 and 30 alcoholic drinks in an evening.

On top of this, even before important matches, he said that he'd sometimes take drugs and party all night.

He said: "I didn't really have anyone to open up to and every time I did it was, like, 'Oh, you've just got to push through it.'

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"It was this constant pushing through and being so misunderstood. Now I don't try to be anything that I'm not, whereas back then I really tried hard to stay in the lane that they wanted to put me in."

Kyrgios – who features in the new Netflix series Break Point – revealed that seeing his family so upset at his struggles prompted him to seek psychological help.

These days, he manages his wellbeing by avoiding drugs, limiting alcohol and taking time off from tennis when necessary.

He said: "I can't hide in a room. I just have to understand that this is my life and I have to embrace it more."

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