Nick Kyrgios still plans to compete for next month’s Wimbledon title despite pulling out of the traditional lead-in tournament at Halle.
The Australian star, who lost in four sets to world No.1 Novak Djokovic in last year’s final, complained of knee soreness in his post-surgery return last week in Stuttgart and opted not to play this week as a precaution.
Kyrgios went down 7-5, 6-3 in that match to 64th-ranked rival Wu Yibing, of China, and said during it: “I feel my knee every point. I can’t walk without pain.” But the world No.31, one of the most feared grass-court players, wants to play at Wimbledon, which runs from July 3 to 16, his manager Daniel Horsfall told this masthead.
“We are doing everything we possibly can to get Nick in the best shape to be able to compete on the tour again,” Horsfall said.
Nick Kyrgios lasted just over an hour in his first match in seven months.
Nick Kyrgios lasted just over an hour in his first match in seven months.CREDIT:DPA
“The sport is physically demanding on the body. It does show people that if you’re not at your best, it’s tough to go out there and win matches easily.
“People tend to forget that Nick has just come off a six-month recovery. Personally, I am very happy with his first match back, there were lots of promising signs, and it gave us a clear goal to work towards.
“Having spoken to him and how he feels, he is confident and wants to play at Wimbledon, so that is what we are working for.”
Only six active men’s players boast a better winning percentage in grass-court matches than Kyrgios, who upset Rafael Nadal to reach the Wimbledon quarter-finals in 2014 and announce himself as a top-flight talent.
The 28-year-old also made the round of 16 two other times, on top of making his maiden grand slam final last year, a form line that convinced Carlos Alcaraz that Kyrgios has the best chance of beating Djokovic.
He arrived at Melbourne Park in January believing he was finally ready to be an Australian Open title contender after his Wimbledon heroics and reaching the US Open quarter-finals.
But a left knee issue derailed those hopes, with his physiotherapist Will Maher revealing after his Open withdrawal that Kyrgios had a parameniscal cyst growing in his left meniscus, the result of a small tear in his lateral meniscus.
Kyrgios took an extended break from the tour, with last week’s appearance in Stuttgart his first for the year as he races to be ready for Wimbledon, where he has his best chance to be a contender.
Kyrgios’ Wimbledon preparation hit a hurdle on Monday, when he withdrew from Halle.
Carlos Alcaraz is tipping a repeat of last year’s Wimbledon final between Nick Kyrgios and Novak Djokovic.
Carlos Alcaraz is tipping a repeat of last year’s Wimbledon final between Nick Kyrgios and Novak Djokovic.CREDIT:GETTY IMAGES
But Alcaraz, speaking before the announcement, still highly rated his Wimbledon chances.
“Djokovic, together with [Roger] Federer, is one of the greatest players ever seen on a grass court, so it’s going to be complicated,” Alcaraz said of his Wimbledon hopes. “Kyrgios has already played a final in Wimbledon, and he’s very good on grass as well. I am not saying that I am not capable of beating Djokovic, but I think I have less chances than on other surfaces. I think that Kyrgios has more chance to defeat Djokovic than any other player.”
Alcaraz’s comments follow Kyrgios’ own prediction that he was the only player capable of preventing Djokovic from winning a record-extending 24th grand slam title at Wimbledon. The Serbian superstar will match Federer’s Wimbledon record of eight championships if he triumphs at this year’s event, which runs from July 3-16.
“I hope he gets 30 [grand slam titles] – it would make me look better because I lost to him at Wimbledon, but it’s an amazing achievement,” Kyrgios said of Djokovic. “No one [can stop him]. If it’s not me, no one.”
Only Djokovic (85.8 per cent), Andy Murray (81.
, Rafael Nadal (79.2), Marin Cilic (71.4), Roberto Bautista Agut (69.6) and Richard Gasquet (67) have a better winning percentage on grass than Kyrgios (66.7) among active men’s players.
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Nadal is recovering from arthroscopic surgery for a left hip flexor injury that surfaced at this year’s Australian Open, while Murray, Cilic, Bautista Agut and Gasquet are in the twilight of their careers. Djokovic illustrated his respect for Kyrgios ahead of their Wimbledon final last year.
“He’s a big-match player. If you see his career; the best tennis he’s played is always against the top guys. That’s why we all respect him because we know what he can come up with,” Djokovic said. “I think between us players; we always know how dangerous he is – on grass, particularly, because of his game, because of his attitude on the court being so confident, just going for it, being a very complete player.
“It seems like mentally he’s at a better state than where he was some years ago. As time passes by, you’re maturing, you’re understanding yourself [and] what you need to do to get yourself to the best-possible, optimal state of mind, body, and soul to perform your best.”
Australia’s Jordan Thompson made the Libema Open final.
Australia’s Jordan Thompson made the Libema Open final.CREDIT:GETTY IMAGES
Meanwhile, Sydneysider Jordan Thompson fell narrowly short of winning his maiden ATP title, losing the Libema Open grass-court final 6-7 (4-7), 7-6 (7-3) 6-3 to Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor.
Thompson, who eliminated Milos Raonic, Adrian Mannarino and countryman Rinky Hijikata en route to the decider, also reached the final at this tournament in 2019. He climbed 27 spots to No.76 in the rankings as a result of his strong week.
“Very positive week, a final – nothing to turn my nose up at,” Thompson said.
“Today was a very tough match; two tiebreakers, then he [got] the break in the third set, but I think he served better than me today, served at a high percentage, and that paid off in the end.
“He was a little more aggressive in that game to break me and I made maybe one poor error, but I didn’t feel like I did too much wrong – I maybe could have been a little more aggressive, but it’s tough.
“It’s been raining, the court played a bit differently today [and] the balls were a bit heavier, but it was a great match, and he edged to victory and deserved it.”
