New Kyrgios, new success: "I’ve just been working really hard"

Nick Kyrgios didn't just get a title at Washington—he might have gotten a whole fresh attitude to the game.

Known for his unpredictable play and effort, the 24-year-old Australian noted that he had been doing a lot of "right things" all week.

"I came here for six days and competed every day," he told press upon winning the event. "This is probably my most memorable title, honestly, so far.

"Especially just looking back at some of the places I’ve been, it’s crazy to think how much I’ve turned it around. I’ve just been working really hard, on and off the court, to try and be better as a person and as a tennis player."

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Kyrgios had dropped below the Top 50 following a poor stretch since Miami, but says he's now more professional despite his usual entertaining style. His title run featured his now frequent underhand serving, tweeners, and delivering a pair of shoes to semifinal opponent Stefanos Tsitsipas.

"It started off the court, honestly. A lot of habits needed to change. I’m not going to go into it with a lot of detail, but I just had a lot of unhealthy habits, and it was starting to show on the tennis court," he said. "At the same time, I’m trying not to change myself, you know, playing ping pong with kids before I play. I want  to have fun on court and be the entertainer I am."

The improvements have shown right away, but he also wants it to be reflected in more consistency.

"I always knew that I could produce good tennis, but the problem with me was not being able to do it every day and every week," he said. "I think it came from within that I just wanted to start being better as a tennis player and as a person and just trying to have better habits, I guess."

Kyrgios is No. 27 in the rankings.