MELBOURNE – Nick Kyrgios’s hopes of breaking Australia’s 47-year wait for a local men’s champion at the Australian Open were dashed on the first day of the tournament when he withdrew due to a knee injury.
In his opinion, the 27-year-old entered the tournament as one of the favorites after reaching the Wimbledon final and the U.S. Open quarterfinals the previous year.
Obviously, I am heartbroken. Kyrgios told reporters at Melbourne Park, “I feel like I’m playing at home.”
“In all honesty, I’m simply fatigued from everything, and it’s been quite difficult. One of the most significant competitions in my career. It has not been at all simple.”
Kyrgios skipped the United Cup team competition at the beginning of the season and his only tune-up for the Australian Open in Adelaide.
His physiotherapist Will Maher stated that Kyrgios has been afflicted by a cyst on a slight tear in the meniscus of his left knee for a few weeks and that withdrawing from the tournament was the prudent choice.
Nick Kyrgios told the media that he is heartbroken that he cannot compete in the Australian Open because “it’s like my home tournament.”
Maher continued, “It’s not a significant injury in the sense that it will threaten my career or anything like that.”
“We wanted to prevent him from sustaining additional injuries or aggravating the current one.” The prognosis is favorable, and he will recover. We simply return to work and ensure that everything is in order for him before leaving.” Maher stated that Kyrgios will undergo surgery on the joint and that he expected him to heal in time to compete in the Masters tournament in Indian Wells, California, in early March.
Kyrgios stated that his knee was “constantly throbbing” and that a collision with doubles partner Thanasi Kokkinakis on Monday morning prompted him to withdraw.
Nick Kyrgios reacts as he announces his retirement from the Australian Open due to a knee injury at a press conference on January 16, 2023 in Melbourne, Australia.
Kyrgios and Kokkinakis, widely known as the “Special Ks,” will not be able to defend the men’s doubles championship they won at Melbourne Park last year.
Kyrgios continued, “Obviously, this is just bad timing, but such is life.” “Injuries are inevitable in sports. I suppose I can take some inspiration from someone like Thanasi, who has overcome numerous ailments.
I have no faith that I will regain my full strength and return to the level of tennis I was playing prior to this accident.
Kyrgios believed he had a good chance of being the first Australian to win the men’s singles title since Mark Edmondson in 1976.
“We believed we had a legitimate shot at winning an event, a Grand Slam, and answering the questions,” he explained.
»Nick Kyrgios withdraws from the Australian Open due to a knee injury«