Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios has confirmed he has no regrets about withdrawing from the Australian Open singles draw, despite receiving a rockstar's welcome at an exhibition event in Melbourne this week.
Kyrgios Stands Firm on Open Withdrawal
The 30-year-old made the call last week to rule himself out of contention for a singles wildcard into his home Grand Slam, which begins on Sunday. Kyrgios conceded he is not physically ready for the demands of best-of-five-set tennis at the highest level.
Multiple wrist and knee surgeries have limited Kyrgios to just seven singles tour matches over the past three years, causing his world ranking to plummet to 670. He "absolutely" stood by his decision to make way for other players, including Swiss former champion Stan Wawrinka and Australians Jordan Thompson and Chris O'Connell.
Fan Frenzy at Kooyong Highlights Popularity
Kyrgios's enduring popularity was on full display at the Kooyong Classic exhibition tournament on Tuesday. He was feted by screaming fans, particularly young children, during a super tiebreaker win over Chinese veteran Zhizhen Zhang.
He described the atmosphere as "nuts" but admitted the adoration was bittersweet. "In some sense it's amazing and in the other sense it's a bit heartbreaking cause I know that I'm not really able to go out there and do what I used to do," Kyrgios said.
The Canberra product acknowledged he will never reach the peak form that saw him challenge and beat the world's best, including his run to the Wimbledon final in 2022.
Wimbledon the Target for Grand Slam Return
Looking ahead, Kyrgios said his likely goal for a return to Grand Slam tennis is Wimbledon. He confirmed he will not play the French Open, a tournament he hasn't contested since 2017.
"I think if I'm still able to produce a bit of level like that, I think Wimbledon's a bit easier physically," he said, referencing his Kooyong performance. He plans to re-evaluate his schedule after the Australian Open, where he still hopes to play doubles and mixed doubles.
His immediate focus is on Wednesday night's "One Point Slam" event, where Tennis Australia has upped the prize-money to $1 million for a contest featuring amateur and professional players.
For now, the mercurial talent remains a spectator in singles at Melbourne Park, prioritising his long-term health over short-term glory.
