There are highly unstable radioactive isotopes which have had a steadier time of it than Nick Kyrgios since Wimbledon 2022 got underway. Nonetheless, at this Championships the man for whom the word “mercurial” was invented may at last be nearing the fulfilment of his lavish talent. 

Eight years after he last appeared in the quarter-finals here, Kyrgios has won through to the last four of a Grand Slam for the first time. The world No.40 ousted Cristian Garin 6-4, 6-3, 7-6(5), exerting the greater superiority of his grass court game.

Not since Lleyton Hewitt in 2005 has Australia boasted a player in the last four of the gentlemen’s singles at Wimbledon. Kyrgios now finds himself both the lowest-ranked men’s semi-finalist, and the first unseeded men’s semi-finalist, since 2008.

In his moment of victory, he was overcome with a humility rarely seen in public.

“I never thought I’d be in a Grand Slam semi-final,” he told the No.1 Court crowd. “I thought that ship had sailed – that I might have wasted that window. I didn’t go about things great early on in my career. It’s great to put on a performance here.

“I don’t have a coach – I would never put that burden on someone. But each and every one of my team plays an important role, although no one knows my tennis better than I do. I’ve been playing this sport since I was seven. I’m in a semi-final and I’m pretty happy.

“Honestly I thought I was playing on the back foot a lot [against Garin]. Hell of a tournament from him to make the quarter-final. It could easily have been him standing here.”

Crikey. Much more of that and umpire James Keothavong would have been asking him to prove his identity. As it was, the usual version of Kyrgios had been in evidence throughout the match, albeit at a moderate volume by his standards.

Breaks to love bookended the first set. Garin gobbled up the first nine points but Kyrgios got back on terms for 3-3, smacking down a 134mph delivery. But when Garin was serving to stay in it, crucially he had a loose game just as Kyrgios stepped up the intensity, and the set was gone.

“Let’s go!” cried Kyrgios with a fist pump, sounding mysteriously like a regular kind of guy.

After the five-set heroics for each man in the previous round, it was obvious that much would hinge here on Kyrgios’ fitness, which has not always been the sharpest; and also the degree to which he was mentally switched on and engaged with the challenge.

Certainly there was no sign here that the Australian’s off-court personal difficulties were distracting his train of thought, nor of any recurrence of his apparent shoulder pain when trailing Brandon Nakashima in the previous round.

Garin came into this match as nominally the better returner, but his own serve became the one under constant pressure. Kyrgios really poured it on to break crushingly to love for 3-1, and it began to feel as if any chance for Garin to get traction in this match was sliding away. He came back from two sets down to Alex De Minaur in the last 16, but any repeat here was looking a mightier mountain still. 

Just five months ago Garin was contemplating his future when a shoulder problem was so troublesome that he lost his pleasure in playing. Matters reached a nadir when he fell at the first hurdle when defending his title on home territory in Santiago.

Tennis, said Garin, was making him “feel horrible”. Gradually the situation improved through the clay season.

His achievement in forcing his way through to the last eight – the first Chilean to do so since Fernando Gonzalez in 2005, and the first Grand Slam quarter-final of Garin’s career – is worthy of salute. 

But Kyrgios was tearing along into the third set, barely giving his opponent time to draw breath. The tie-break was nip and tuck. There was momentary drama on the Kyrgios match point as a forehand was incorrectly called out, but Keathovang contained any trouble instantly with a lightning overrule. Moments later the Australian fell flat on his back in victory as a Garin backhand drifted wide.

In his moment of triumph, all the signature Kyrgios bluster deserted him. He sat in his chair for a long while blinking back tears. In that moment, did he acknowledge to himself that a great many people yearn for him to succeed? It often feels as if any such recognition might spoil all his fun. We may never know. 

Ah well. Nick Kyrgios is into the Wimbledon semi-finals, and that’s enough fun for anyone.

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