Australian Open chief Craig Tiley expressed optimism on Thursday about the return of Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios for the upcoming season-opening Grand Slam in January at Melbourne Park. Kyrgios, a former Wimbledon finalist, withdrew from this year’s Australian Open and has participated in only one singles match over the past two years due to a series of injuries affecting his knee, foot, and wrist.
Despite his prolonged absence from the court, Kyrgios has remained active in the sport through television and broadcasting work. Recent posts on his social media accounts indicate that he is eager to resume his playing career later this year. Tiley noted during an interview with Australia’s Channel Nine that Kyrgios has been practicing and preparing for the summer season, emphasizing his passion for playing in front of home crowds in Australia.
At 29, Kyrgios has consistently drawn significant attention at the Australian Open, where he enjoys strong support from local fans, despite only reaching the quarterfinals once, back in 2015. His last appearance at Melbourne Park in 2022 saw him exit in the second round, where he lost to Daniil Medvedev, the eventual finalist, after a four-set battle. Following that tournament, he had a remarkable run to the Wimbledon final and reached the quarterfinals at the US Open before injuries began to impact his performance.
Tiley acknowledged that he previously anticipated Kyrgios would make a comeback for this year's Australian Open and reiterated his hope for Kyrgios's return when questioned about his certainty regarding the player's participation in the tournament starting on January 12. He emphasized that while many factors could influence the situation in the coming months, the Australian Open team is looking forward to seeing Kyrgios back on the court.
ADD A COMMENT :