It is the golden age of tennis and oh, how we love it.
We marvel at Novak Djokovic, lord of all he surveys at the top of the rankings; we cheer Andy Murray chasing his old rival in final after final and cementing himself into the No.2 position in the world. We adore the suave, sophisticated old GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) Roger Federer sitting just behind them in the world order. And we count off the days until Rafa Nadal returns from his wrist injury and reclaims his place in the Gang of Four.
But dare we suggest that it is all a bit samey. They are all terribly nice chaps; they win with grace and lose with humility. They say awfully nice things about each other and try desperately hard not to make too much of their own stunning achievements (well, most of the time they do). You could take all four of them home for tea and even Great Aunt Edie would be won over by their charm and manners.
What we need is a little bit of fire, a bit of grit to rub the velvet sheen off this Mutual Admiration Society. Step forward, then, Nick Kyrgios and Dustin Brown.
Now, before anyone gets upset, we are not suggesting that either chap is anything but nice. Both are thoroughly decent blokes; both, on their day, are fabulous players (Kyrgios as the world No.18 has more days than Brown but no matter) and both are unique characters. Their tennis is explosive and their personalities are huge. If you want to see something different on a tennis court, go and watch either man at work.
And one of them will be going home by close of play on Friday (weather permitting).
As luck would have it – or misfortune, depending on your point of view – Kyrgios and Brown will face each other in the second round. If you are looking for a combustible, volatile and potentially explosive match, this is it. Not that they will be attempting to punch each other’s lights out but, rather, that what both men can do with racket and ball defies belief.
They have never played each other before mainly because they earn their corn at opposite ends of the professional spectrum. The 31-year-old Brown makes a living on the Challenger circuit, venturing out into the ATP 250 events from time to time, and more often than not, has to go through the qualifying competition to get into the Grand Slams.
Kyrgios, on the other hand, is one of the new generation of young stars who, along with Dominic Thiem, Alexander Zverev and Borna Coric, is regarded as one of the potential successors to the great Gang of Four. Seeded, talented and still only 21, no one would be amazed if he were to win the trophy here this year but no one would be surprised if he lost today. The consistency of the very top men seems to be beyond him just yet but he has the game and the belief to beat anyone.
But the two men share a common bond: they have both beaten Nadal on Centre Court. Kyrgios was first, claiming his four set win in 2014. Then ranked No.144 in the world, his thumping serve, blistering ground strokes and sheer chutzpah was more than the former champion could cope with.
The following year, Nadal was back and found himself up against 6ft 5ins of dreadlocked magic in the shape of Brown. With a piercing serve, a serve and volley game and a range of deft drop shots, he ran Nadal ragged.
Those dreadlocks have not been trimmed for 20 years (Brown thinks he last cut his hair in August 1996 but he is not too sure) which sets him apart from Kyrgios. The Australian takes a keen interest in tonsorial matters and has been known to get up in the middle of the night to add an extra razor stripe or two to his look.
Kyrgios sports diamond earrings; Brown has a tattoo of his dad emblazoned on his ribcage. Kyrgios has earned nearly $3million in his young career; Brown used to travel the circuit in a camper van and make a few extra quid by stringing rackets for his fellow players.
In many ways, Brown and Kyrgios are like chalk and cheese but put them on a tennis court and they are blood brothers: showmen, unpredictable talents and riveting to watch. If today’s match lives up to even a fraction of its potential, it should be a belter. It is just a shame one of them has to lose.
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