Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios has officially withdrawn himself from contention for a singles wildcard at the upcoming Australian Open. The 30-year-old announced his decision via social media, stating that while he is back on court, he does not feel prepared for the physical demands of best-of-five-set matches.
Focus Shifts to Doubles Partnership
Kyrgios confirmed he will still participate at Melbourne Park, but his focus will be solely on the men's doubles event. He plans to team up with his friend and compatriot, Thanasi Kokkinakis. The pair, famously known as the 'Special Ks', won the Australian Open doubles title together in 2022.
"After some good conversations with Tennis Australia, I've made the call to focus on doubles for this year's Australian Open," Kyrgios said. "I'm fit and back on court, but five-setters are a different beast and I'm not quite ready to go the distance yet."
A Challenging Comeback from Injury
The decision follows a difficult return to competitive action for Kyrgios, who has been sidelined for most of the past year following surgery on his knee and a wrist issue. His comeback attempt at the Brisbane International this week highlighted his ongoing physical struggles.
In his first ATP Tour singles match in nearly ten months, he suffered a straight-sets defeat to world number 58 Aleksandar Kovacevic in just 66 minutes. During the match, Kyrgios was visibly uncomfortable, clutching his arm and wearing strapping on his right wrist and a brace on his left ankle.
He added further strapping to his right elbow and knee for a subsequent doubles match with Kokkinakis on Wednesday, which they lost in a tight tie-break.
Wildcards Awarded to Others
With Kyrgios stepping aside, the singles wildcards have been allocated to other players. Tennis Australia awarded entries to fellow Australians Jordan Thompson and Chris O'Connell, as well as former champion Stan Wawrinka.
Kyrgios expressed his regret at missing the singles tournament, which he described as meaning "everything" to him. "I'd rather give my spot to someone who's ready to make their moment count," he stated, adding that his participation this year is "all building blocks" for a return in 2025.
Despite his absence from the singles draw, Kyrgios is expected to remain a prominent figure during the Australian summer. He has indicated a desire to play in exhibition events like the One Point Slam promotion and is committed to the Kooyong Classic, which begins next Tuesday.
The men's doubles event at the Australian Open starts on Monday, 19 January, the day after the singles main draw gets under way.
