The Nick Kyrgios haters are wrong. He’s great for tennis.

It’ll surprise no one that there’s been more Nick Kyrgios controversy overnight.

This time over his red Nike sneakers. The dress code at Wimbledon as we know is strictly all white. Nothing else.

But not for Nick Kyrgios. He walked onto Centre Court wearing a bright red cap and bright red Jordans, the Nike sneakers. A reporter hit him up about it in the press conference after the match and this was Nick Kyrgios’ reply: "Because I do what I want." 

This stuff drives the traditionalists bonkers. Australian tennis great Pat Cash has accused Kyrgios of dragging the game to new depths, the reporters are getting tetchy with him in the press conferences, columnists are calling him a narcissist and calling for him to be deported from Australia.

And this is exactly why Kyrgios is great for tennis: Because we can’t stop watching.

For many, it’s the only reason they know Wimbledon is on. Because Kyrgios is in the news every day: Wearing the wrong gear, spitting at a spectator, yelling at a lineswoman, shouting at the ref.

Tennis needs this. The crowds at Wimbledon are at the lowest they’ve been in 15 years this week. The game is considered a dying sport in America if not other parts of the world, but crowds turn up to see Kyrgios play and for many of them the attraction will just be watching a meltdown happening live.

I’m not condoning Kyrgios spitting at spectators. Clearly that’s not OK and the sport has the means to deal with it. They’ve fined him $16,000 for it. 

But aren’t you hooked? Imagine if he goes further. He’s in the quarter-finals now. Imagine if he holds on long enough to play Nadal. The ultimate nice guy versus the ultimate bad guy. That’s what sport is about. Rivalry. Spectacle. 

Tennis with Kyrgios is way more fun than tennis without Kyrgios.