Australian tennis player Nick Kyrgios has had an abysmal year so far. The swashbuckling player has had to contend with injuries since the start of 2023. Kyrgios was looking forward to returning to the US Open but it seems that is no longer an option either.
Nick injured his thigh in January and was sidelined from both the Australian Open and the French Open. When he was deemed fit enough to return, he played just one match in Stuttgart.
Kyrgios, unfortunately, injured his wrist had had to withdraw from Wimbledon at the last minute. The Aussie had reassured his fans that he would return to play in the US, but he took to Instagram to share the news of his withdrawal.
He confirmed that his wrist has not recovered enough yet to bear the load of a Grand Slam. At the same time, he reminded everyone that when he does eventually return, he will have a protected ranking. “I have a protected ranking of 21,” he wrote on Instagram.
Nick Kyrgios has played only one match this year, where he lost to Wu Yibing. As a result of having to sit out for injuries, Nick’s ATP ranking has plummeted. On Monday, his ranking will fall outside the top 100 for the first time since 2022. After the US Open, he will fall out of the top 400 altogether.
Nick Kyrgios may be off the court, but he is very active on social media. The Australian tennis star’s statements about his ranking, and doing much more for tennis than the top 10 players were heavily criticized in the sport’s fraternity. However, as Nick stated, whenever he decides to return, he will have a protected ranking of 21.
What is a protected ranking and how will it benefit Nick Kyrgios?
A protected ranking is basically an average of the player’s ranking during the first 3 months of their absence. The protected ranking is a way of helping a player return to the sport after being ruled out for a minimum of 6 months. This usually happens in the case of injuries and pregnancies.
Nick Kyrgios’ ranking has been a topic of debate among fans online of late. Since Nick’s confirmation that he will sit out the entire US swing, his ranking will fall as far as 465.
His US Open withdrawal will have a huge affect on Nick Kyrgios’s ranking. Last year he reached the quarters and would be defending 360 points (having already lost a total of 225 points from Canada and Cincinnati) as a result he will drop to 465.
— Craig Gabriel (@crosscourt1) August 10, 2023
When a fan pointed this out on Twitter, Kyrgios himself responded to it. He clarified again, that he would have a protected ranking of 21.
Protected of 21
— Nicholas Kyrgios (@NickKyrgios) August 11, 2023
Kyrgios had an amazing run in 2022. Compared to last year, 2023 has been the polar opposite. Despite having a protected ranking, fans pointed out he would have to win back all the points eventually.
Nick will get a WC into any tournament he wants. It’s still a long climb to get all those points back though.
— Steve SC🟧 (@steve_usc1) August 11, 2023
It is hard for any player to suffer one blow after another. Fans too miss Nick’s flair on the tennis court and want him to return soon. But it still remains unclear how soon Kyrgios can actually return to the court.