Nick Kyrgios is committed to doing everything in his power to be fit for the Australian Open after a recent abdominal strain forced him to withdraw from an exhibition match.
The 29-year-old Australian tennis star, who is recovering from knee and wrist surgeries, has been battling through pain since his first-round loss to Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard at the Brisbane International last week.
Kyrgios described feeling “throbbing” pain following the defeat, which marked his first singles match in 18 months.
After undergoing an ultrasound, it was confirmed that he had sustained a grade-one abdominal strain.
As a result, he was forced to pull out of a scheduled exhibition match with Novak Djokovic on Thursday.
In an Instagram post, Kyrgios confirmed his intention to rest and recover in time for the Australian Open, which starts in Melbourne on Sunday.
Despite this setback, tournament director Craig Tiley remains optimistic, describing Kyrgios’ withdrawal as “precautionary” and expressing confidence that he will be ready to compete.
Kyrgios made his return to competitive tennis in Brisbane, where he partnered with Djokovic in the men’s doubles.
While his singles performance was marred by the loss to Perricard, Kyrgios admitted he felt uncertain about the condition of his wrist, saying he would “almost need a miracle” for it to hold up during the Australian Open.
With his sights set on the first Grand Slam of the year, Kyrgios is determined to give himself the best chance to recover and return to the court.
However, only time will tell whether his body will be able to withstand the demands of the tournament.
