Australian tennis sensation Nick Kyrgios is on the brink of vanishing from the ATP Rankings list for the first time in his career. Despite his rollercoaster journey in tennis and personal life, Kyrgios has managed to maintain some ranking points throughout the years. He is presently ranked at 470 with 90 points, but these will soon evaporate after the 2023 Japan Open.
Kyrgios hasn’t played much owing to a knee injury that plagued him before the start of the Australian Open. He had returned briefly before Wimbledon but struggled to regain his form. He claimed his knee was fine but cited a wrist injury for missing Wimbledon. With minimal updates on his return, speculation about his retirement grew, especially after only playing one ATP match in 2023.
Earlier, Kyrgios had made a candid comment about retiring before age 33, saying, “I’m getting old. 28. But with all the drinking & partying, I’m 57… 33 is insane. I’m not playing till I’m 33. Once I’m gone, you’ll never see me again.”
Nick Kyrgios says he’ll retire before age 33:
“I’m getting old. 28. But with all the drinking & partying l’m 57… 33 is insane. I’m not playing till I’m 33. Once I’m gone, you’ll never see me again.” pic.twitter.com/7CFhE17c2e— Tennis World (@Tennis095038821) July 27, 2023
Kyrgios recently featured on a podcast with Mike Tyson, where he suggested his determination to stage a comeback. He expressed, “I am just trying to be able to get back as soon as possible because I do miss playing and especially being so close to winning Wimbledon last year, I know I’m right there.”
🇦🇺 Nick Kyrgios quashing any rumours of a possible retirement at the 2024 Australian Open:
“I’m trying to be able to return as soon as possible because I miss playing and especially being so close to winning Wimbledon last year, I know I’m there”
Source: Mike Tyson Podcast 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/6d7mV6l11I
— Olly 🎾🇬🇧 (@Olly_Tennis_) October 9, 2023
While his ranking points may soon expire, his reputation could earn him wildcards for top events once he decides to return. Despite his love-hate relationship with tennis, Kyrgios still has ambitions to make a meaningful comeback and revive his flagging fortunes.
Nick Kyrgios on demanding tennis schedules
Nick Kyrgios, the Australian tennis star, recently talked about the tough schedule tennis players face, especially when it leads to players’ withdrawals and injuries as in his case. In a chat with Mike Tyson on the Hotbox-In podcast, Kyrgios shared how demanding the tennis calendar can be. He said that, unlike some other sports that have breaks to rest and recover, tennis doesn’t offer much time off
Kyrgios explained that if players compete in all their scheduled tournaments, they might only get a short month-long break at the end of the year to heal their bodies and relax their minds. The Australian Open Grand Slam, which kicks off the tennis year, adds to the challenge. Players have little time to rest and get ready for this important event. There is virtually no offseason as in other sports.
🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️ https://t.co/jIkuB9lLy0
— Nicholas Kyrgios (@NickKyrgios) October 9, 2023
Kyrgios’ insights are particularly relevant because he has faced injuries in his career. His openness about the challenges of constant travel, adjusting to different time zones and climates, and experiencing various types of food sheds light on the difficulties that tennis professionals must cope with.