Nick Kyrgios vows to ‘shut up’ doubters after December comeback
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Nick Kyrgios during the 2024 US Open, where he was working as a commentator for ESPN while recovering from his injuries.
PHOTO: AFP
SYDNEY – Fiery Nick Kyrgios plans to make a comeback at Abu Dhabi in December, with his goal to win a Grand Slam and “shut up” those who doubt him.
The former world No. 13 is on the comeback trail after having played just one ATP Tour singles match in two years following serious knee, foot and wrist injuries.
He has hinted at retirement several times, but told News Corp’s Code Sports on Oct 14 that he would return for the World Tennis League event in December before a tilt at his home Australian Open in January.
“I am coming back because something is keeping me around the game,” said the 29-year-old, who has won seven ATP Tour singles titles. “I have beaten pretty much every person that has been put in front of me, made a final of a Grand Slam, won a doubles title in a Grand Slam, won multiple titles and made money.
“But I think the one thing that is now on my target is a Grand Slam. I think that will be the only thing that will shut people up at the end of the day. That’ll be my deep motivation.”
Kyrgios, who has worked as a commentator during his absence, reached his maiden singles Grand Slam final at Wimbledon in 2022, losing in four sets to Novak Djokovic.
He was never able to go further in an era dominated by Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, coupled with his sometimes fragile temperament that saw some pundits write him off as a wasted talent.
But with Nadal announcing his retirement on Oct 10 and Djokovic now 37, Kyrgios believes the game is “the most open it has ever been”.
Success will depend largely on him keeping his cool, however.
The Australian has always been combustible and earned a reputation for outbursts and meltdowns on court early in his career, but he also denied he was a “bad boy”.
“I guess I was branded that just because I was a bit outside the circle of what a normal tennis player is,” he said.
“I don’t think I carry that perception with the Aussie public any more. But at the start of my career, people thought I was like a murderer.”
As it stands, Australian Open chief executive Craig Tiley has said that he expects to see Kyrgios back in action at Melbourne Park for the season-opening Grand Slam.
“Nick will be back,” he told Australia’s Channel Nine TV.
“We know he’s out there practising and preparing for the summer.
“He loves playing in Australia. We expect to see him back and we know he’s on track with that preparation.”
Kyrgios has always been a major draw at the Australian Open and attracted vociferous support from his compatriots, even if he only once reached the quarter-finals back in 2015.
He lost in the second round on his last singles appearance in Melbourne in 2022, in four sets to eventual finalist Daniil Medvedev. AFP, REUTERS
