Does Nick Kyrgios Have Greek Roots? ATP Star’s Ethnicity and Nationality Explained

Nick Kyrgios has spent December bouncing from one exhibition to the next, dialing in his rhythm and rebuilding confidence ahead of his long-awaited January return. In just a few hours, the spotlight turns to Dubai, where women’s world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka will face the currently No. 671-ranked Kyrgios in a headline-making “Battle of the Sexes 2.0” exhibition at the 17,000-seat Coca-Cola Arena. All eyes will be on how each player approaches the contest, as the matchup offers a fascinating contrast in styles and expressions of aggression on court.

Standing 6-foot-4 (1.93 meters) and weighing 187 pounds (85 kg), Kyrgios has long been known for owning one of the biggest forehands in the sport. Across the net, Sabalenka arrives as the WTA’s dominant force, having reached three of the four Grand Slam finals, captured her fourth major at the US Open, and posted a commanding 63-12 season record that cemented her world No. 1 ranking.

Beyond the buzz of the match itself, though, let’s step from the on-court drama to learn more about Kyrgios off the court, his roots, ethnicity, nationality, and the personal story that shaped one of tennis’s most polarizing figures.

Where was Nick Kyrgios born and raised?

Nicholas Hilmy Kyrgios started playing tennis at the age of just 6 and was born on 27 April, 1995 in Canberra, Australia. From an early age, sports were central to his life, and tennis gradually became the pathway that would shape his future.

Growing up with two older siblings, his brother Christos and sister Halimah, his family played a big role in shaping his competitive mindset. As a kid, Nick Kyrgios split his time between basketball and tennis, excelling in both sports before his family ultimately chose to focus on tennis as his primary pursuit.

Despite committing to tennis, basketball remained close to his heart. “Basketball was my first love. I had a hoop outside that was barely standing. Tennis wasn’t my passion at first, but my father suggested we play, and soon a coach noticed my potential,” he said. And by the time he was nine or ten, Kyrgios and his parents were traveling across Australia, competing regularly in junior tournaments.

At 15, Kyrgios received funding to train at the Australian Institute of Sport, a key milestone in his development. Then in 2013, Kyrgios moved from Canberra to Melbourne Park for better training facilities and hitting partners.

Does Nick Kyrgios have Greek roots?

To answer it clearly, yes, Nick Kyrgios has Greek roots through his father, Giorgos Kyrgios. For those who don’t know, Giorgos Kyrgios worked as a self-employed house painter and is a familiar face to tennis fans who follow Kyrgios’ career closely. Giorgos and his family immigrated from the village of Georgani in Ioannina, Greece to Australia in the 1960s.

Though he doesn’t speak Greek himself, Kyrgios remains connected to his roots: “I lived in Melbourne for two years, a city with a big Greek community. Each time I played the Australian Open, I felt the love of the Greek diaspora.”

His father played tennis in the past, though not at a professional level, and has long been a constant presence in his son’s career. Whether in Australia or abroad, he’s often been spotted courtside, offering vocal support and standing firmly behind Nick during matches.

It was just last year, Giorgos made headlines of his own following Nick’s controversial third-round win over Stefanos Tsitsipas at Wimbledon. Both players were fined for what officials deemed “unacceptable behavior,” but Giorgos publicly criticized what he called “double standards.” He argued that Tsitsipas should have been defaulted after losing his temper and hitting a ball into the crowd, reigniting debate around consistency in on-court discipline.

What is his mother’s background?

The 30-year-old tennis star has royal roots through his mother, Norlaila “Nill” Kyrgios. She was born in Gombak, a district in Selangor, Malaysia, and her grandfather’s cousin was the Sultan of Pahang. By birth, she held the title of Tengku of Pahang, a designation that is often described as being similar to a “princess” of the Pahang state.

However, in her twenties, Norlaila made a major life decision by giving up her royal title and moving to Australia in search of new opportunities. There, she met Kyrgios’ father, Giorgos, and went on to build a new life for herself as a computer engineer.

Norlaila generally does not attend many of her son’s matches, largely due to extreme nervousness and anxiety, along with a heart condition, for which she has a pacemaker.

Despite that, her support for her son has always remained strong behind the scenes, with her no nonsense style of parenting that has shaped her children’s lives. “I was very strict, I was very tough on the kids. I wanted a lot from them,” Norlaila told the Telegraph in 2023.

Interestingly, after Nick Kyrgios’ famous four-set win over Rafael Nadal at Wimbledon in 2014, Norlaila spoke to Malaysian media about the family’s pride. She shared that “Nick is very close to his Malaysian family” and has visited them many times. She also mentioned that during one trip, he even played tennis at Cameron Highlands, highlighting his connection to his Malaysian heritage.

What is Nick Kyrgios’ nationality and ethnicity?

To put it simply, Nick Kyrgios represents Australia on the global stage, but his background reflects a mix of cultures. With parents from different heritages, his ethnicity is half Greek through his father and half Malay through his mother.

Last year, Kyrgios opened up about his family history while appearing on Louis Theroux’s podcast. While reflecting on his Greek roots, he mistakenly referred to his father’s hometown of Ioannina as a “small island.” In reality, Ioannina is a city on the Greek mainland, though it is known for its lake and a small island within it, which likely led to the confusion.

Kyrgios recalled, “My father left Greece in 1965, leaving Ioannina, a small island, I thought, with my grandmother and uncle to pursue a better life in Australia.” Even if the geography wasn’t quite right, the meaning behind the story was clear.