- Nick Kyrgios has shared his ordeal after his family was attacked
- A masked gunman stole his Tesla car last year
- He pointed a shotgun at his mother, Norlaila, to steal her vehicle
Nick Kyrgios was left “incredibly angry” when the tennis star recalled waking up to the sound of his mother screaming during a horrific attack on his family.
Kyrgios’ mother, Norlaila Kyrgios, said in a victim impact statement that her encounter with a masked gunman “shattered my soul, my peace and my perception of the world around me.”
In May 2023, an armed killer held a gun to Norlaila’s head before stealing Kyrgios’ luxury Tesla car, valued at $125,000.
The gunman, 33, has not been identified for legal reasons, but has a significant criminal record. He faced a sentencing hearing Monday after pleading guilty to charges of aggravated robbery and failing to stop for police.
Nick Kyrgios opens up about terrifying attack on his family last year
Tennis star’s green Tesla (pictured) stolen by masked gunman
His criminal record includes a conviction for culpable driving causing death, dating back to when he was just 14 when he struck and killed university student Clea Rose in central Canberra while fleeing police in a stolen car.
In relation to last year’s incident, the court heard how the thief stole Kyrgios’ vehicle outside his family home in Canberra’s north. He knocked on the door while the tennis player was sleeping inside the building.
He shouted a fake name to encourage Norlaila to open the door, before presenting the shotgun and threatening to hand over the keys to her son’s bright green sports car.
Once Kyrgios woke up, he limited the vehicle’s speed and transmitted its movements to police by using the Tesla app.
Police detained the offender and arrested him in Ainslie.
Kyrgios said in his victim impact statement that he was still having difficulty sleeping and was concerned for the safety of his family.
“We assume the worst every time we hear a sound,” Kyrgios said.
Kyrgios recalled waking up to the sound of his mother screaming during the attack.
He says he hopes the offender’s sentence brings peace to his family.
“Nothing prepares you for being woken up by your mother’s screams.”
In a press release later issued by his attorney, Kyrgios said he hopes the sentencing hearing will bring “a small measure of peace” to his mother.
‘(I hope) that the court recognizes the anxiety and trauma that my family has gone through, feeling that we cannot be safe in our family home, the place where I grew up and where all those great memories now have to exist alongside the memory of “A gun was pointed at my mother’s face,” he said.
After the incident, Norlaila fled Australia and “desperately sought refuge” in her home country of Malaysia.
He has since sought professional help for his mental health after returning to Canberra and upgraded his home security system.
She says the enhanced protection only “serves as a constant reminder of the horror I faced.”
The thief apologized to the Kyrgios family and the court in a letter that he read aloud.
Acting Judge Rebecca Christensen is expected to hand down the sentence next month.
