Hilary Swift for The New York Times
If a 10-day slice of Nick Kyrgios’s career could be placed on a microscope slide, the most representative period may have come in early August, in the weeks leading up to the United States Open.
For a few nights at a tournament in Washington, Kyrgios showcased his most endearing, playful and utterly talented self. He joked on court with his doubles partner, Stefanos Tsitsipas and consulted with delighted fans about where to place serves on his way to the singles title. It was arguably the most promising week of a career marked by much turmoil.