Nick Kyrgios admits he needs to work harder and prepare better

Nick Kyrgios, responding to criticism about his second-round performance against Andreas Seppi, says physical problems affected him during the five-set defeat at the Australian Open.

The 21-year-old led by two sets and had a match point in the fifth set, which Seppi saved with a winner. Kyrgios, who was suspended by the ATP last year for lack of effort during the Shanghai Masters, had a knee injury coming into the tournament. Having won his first-round encounter with little fuss, he grew increasingly agitated as Seppi got back into the match, smashing his racquet and arguing with the umpire.

Told that John McEnroe questioned his effort while announcing the match, Kyrgios reacted with sarcasm.

"Well, my body was sore,” he said. “I was hurting. Was it John McEnroe? Good on him. Great career."

Asked about his knee, Kyrgios said, "I don't know, mate—ask Johnny Mac."

He also reacted to booing from the crowd following the match.

"I didn't have the best preparation coming into the Australian Open,” he admitted. “Pretty banged up, my body. You know, I don't even know what the score was. Was it 10-8? 10-8 in the fifth, getting booed off—definitely not the best feeling."

He acknowledged that he was not as fit as he should have been, having also injured himself while playing basketball during the offseason.

"I think I didn't have the best preparation,” he said. “It's on me. Did a couple things in the offseason that I'm probably not going to do next time. I don't know, maybe just not play as much basketball. Actually take my preseason seriously."

Kyrgios, who has not had a coach for a year and a half, again suggested that he is looking to add someone to his team, though he would not discuss specific names.

"I mean, the coach is always a question mark for me,” he said. “I think that's one area where I obviously need to start taking a bit more seriously. I mean, I don't think there's anyone in the Top 100 without a coach except for me. That needs to change."

The highest-ranked Australian also withdrew from the men's doubles in Melbourne.