It will go down as the moment that Nick Kyrgios came of age as a tennis star, but the Canberra teen says he almost quit his Wimbledon campaign because of homesickness just two weeks before he beat world No.1 Rafael Nadal and captured worldwide attention.
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Back home and training on his home courts at the Canberra Tennis Centre for the build-up to the Australian Open, Kyrgios opened up about his first full professional season and his plans to prove he is not a one-match wonder.
Kyrgios also believes "I've got the game" to win the Australian Open and match the best players in the world.
Most know of Kyrgios' 178-minute battle with Nadal as he romped to a stunning four-set win that shocked the world, won him the John Newcombe Medal and had him nominated for the Don Award as the biggest moment in Australian sport this year.
But Kyrgios said he almost gave up on his Wimbledon ambitions two weeks before the tournament when he lost to little-known John-Patrick Smith in the the first round of a challenger tournament at Nottingham.
The decision to stay in England and fight for a spot at Wimbledon proved to be a career-defining moment and a lesson Kyrgios will carry into his 2015 season.
"I was on the brink of going home, I wasn't feeling great. I was in a bad head space, but I went from a complete low to the best part of the year [against Nadal]," Kyrgios said.
"It was insane. When I lost that first round there was no way I thought I'd be playing Rafa on centre court at Wimbledon.
"Thanasi [Kokkinakis] and my brother had just gone home, I wasn't feeling too good. But I sat down with [coach at the time] Simon Rea and they thought it was the best for me to grind it out.
"It showed me that even in bad weeks you can find your best tennis."
Kyrgios is settling back into Canberra and his new training base at the Tennis Centre, which will be officially opened next month.
He is relishing the opportunity to spend an extended time in the capital with his family and friends after a whirlwind year on the international circuit, which has seen him rise to No.52 in world rankings.
It's the calm before the Australian Open storm as he trains at the relaxed Lyneham facility with mates he has played against since he was 10 years old and with veterans on the court next to him.
But Kyrgios said his professional induction had prepared him for whatever is thrown at him when he starts his season at the Hopman Cup in Perth before moving to the Sydney International and the Australian Open.
"I'm not going to lie, it's tough dealing with everything," Kyrgios said.
"You play the sport because you love it and that's what I think about. It's going to be unbelievable, it's a good opportunity for me and I'm not scared, I'm just going to enjoy it.
"It's happened all so quick. I think I've learnt the ability to back up. You go through periods on the road where you just want to go home, but you see the top guys train straight after they lose. That's the biggest thing I've learnt."
Kyrgios is the first to hit on the new $27 million Lyneham facility, where the finishing touches are being put on before the face of Canberra tennis changes forever.
It is hoped the venue will host future Davis Cup and Federation Cup ties with Kyrgios as the main attraction and the first tournament will be played on January 5-6.
The new plexipave surface is similar to the plexicushion used at the Australian Open and has allowed Kyrgios to relocate his training from Melbourne to Canberra without sacrificing the quality of the training facility.
The Kyrgios camp will fly in hitting partners, including Daniel Guccione, Alex Babanine and Todd Volmari, to ensure practice is intense.
"I'm five minutes away from home here, it's already an unbelievable facility. This is where I grew up," Kyrgios said.
"It's perfect for me, committing to one place and focusing on making some gains. The first thing I'm looking at is Hopman Cup. It's a good chance to get some match practice."
Kyrgios is enjoying a solid build-up to a hectic schedule and is training injury free. He battled through bone stress in his arm this year and played through pain to continue his breakout year.
He also is reaping the benefits of training with Lleyton Hewitt and Tomas Berdych at the International Premier Tennis League last month.
A first professional title at the Sydney International would be a dream start to the summer, but Kyrgios is focused on bigger things and showing his efforts against Nadal were not a one-off.
"I used to wake up every day and think about that run at Wimbledon, but not any more. I'm focusing on bigger and better things," he said.
"People forget the match against Rafa was the fourth round. I definitely don't want to be known for one run. I'd love to make a run at the Australian Open. I think I've definitely got the game."
