Melbourne & Olympic Parks, Olympic Blvd, Melbourne VIC • 3001, Australia, 17 March 2017 | Tennis Australia

In the aftermath of his sensational victory over Novak Djokovic in Indian Wells, Nick Kyrgios opened up about the part the Davis Cup has played in helping him rediscover his form and focus.

The enigmatic 21 year old marched into the quarterfinals of the BNP Paribas Open at the expense of the World No.2, and promptly revealed that a call from Australia’s Davis Cup Captain Lleyton Hewitt reignited his love for the game.

At a low ebb after losing to Andrea Seppi in the second round of Australian Open 2017, Kyrgios had considered taking a break from tennis but the prospect of being part of a team and representing his country sparked a change of heart.

“After the Australia Open it was tough,” he said. “It felt like the whole of Australia was against me after I lost. I was in a dark place, I didn’t want to play for a bit. I was going to take a break for who knows how long? I was talking to my team, saying I can’t really play anymore.

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“But I went and spent a week with my girlfriend, and then Lleyton called me up and said he really wanted me to come play Davis Cup. That was the best thing I could have done, to come back and be with the boys.”

Surrounded by his friends and inspired by Hewitt, Kyrgios payed a leading role in Australia’s victory over Czech Republic at Kooyong last month.

Since then, he has reached the semifinals in both Marseille and Acapulco and beaten Djokovic twice, and a happy and in-form Nick Kyrgios would undoubtedly provide Hewitt with a potent weapon when his team takes on the United States in the Davis Cup by BNP Paribas quarterfinals in Brisbane next month.

“I’ve found some enjoyment practising again,” Kyrgios said. “Something switched at the Davis Cup, and now I’m really enjoying it again.

“We still talk to this day, the whole Davis Cup team. I think that’s helped me the most. Having people on my side and knowing they have my back, that’s been the key.”