Kyrgios ‘vows’ to shake up tennis as he eyes Australian Open comeback

Melbourne, Jan 10 (IANS) Nick Kyrgios, who is set to make his long-awaited return to Melbourne Park for the first time in three years, after undergoing knee and wrist surgeries over the past year, admits that his return has been an emotional rollercoaster.

After nearly a year away from competitive tennis, Kyrgios’s return has been anything but straightforward. His comeback began at the Brisbane International, where he played two doubles matches with Novak Djokovic and narrowly lost a singles encounter to rising star Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard. However, lingering wrist pain and a minor abdominal injury have raised concerns about his readiness for Melbourne Park.

“This morning I was out there feeling pretty good,” Kyrgios said during a press conference. “I still have three days before the tournament starts for me. I’m just taking it day by day, enjoying all the moments again—being a part of the tournament, going through the hallways, and locker room, seeing everyone again. It’s been an emotional time for me the last couple of weeks.”

Despite the uncertainty surrounding his fitness, Kyrgios remains optimistic. The prospect of playing on home soil in front of passionate Australian fans is fueling his determination. Kyrgios has always been a showman, and he sees his return as an opportunity to bring excitement back to tennis. In his trademark candid style, Kyrgios described the sport as having become “mundane” in his absence, emphasizing the need for larger-than-life personalities.

“We watch sports because we want personalities,” Kyrgios said. “It’s that one-on-one aspect. Now there’s coaching allowed, but I really enjoyed tennis because it was one-vs-one. You had to watch that person figure it out over a four or five-hour period. It’s like drama, theatre.

“Being back adds a bit of question marks to what is going to happen today. I love that. Every time I step out on the court, I don’t know if I’m going to be super controversial in a good or bad way. Throughout my career, it hasn’t always been good, but it’s added a lot of excitement to the game.”

In his opening match, Kyrgios will face 23-year-old Scot Jacob Fearnley, who is making his Australian Open debut. Fearnley, who has climbed into the top 100 with remarkable speed after leaving college in the United States last year, is seen as a dangerous opponent. “He’s been knocking on the door with some pretty good results over the last six to nine months,” Kyrgios said. “He’s extremely confident. You’ve got to be careful with these guys. When guys go out there confident on their debut, they tend to play a bit higher and better than their actual base level.”

Kyrgios acknowledged that his lack of match practice might make the encounter even more challenging. “I haven’t played many tennis matches. I’m still trying to find my feet as well,” he added.

Kyrgios’s talent has never been in question, and his return has been welcomed by several of his contemporaries. Daniil Medvedev, a three-time Australian Open runner-up, highlighted the Australian’s unique skill set, calling him “great for tennis”. “I would love to see him play against Carlos [Alcaraz] and Jannik [Sinner],” Medvedev said. “His biggest weapon is his serve, and he has the skills and the hands. I’m only happy if he comes back to tennis.”

Australian compatriot Jordan Thompson echoed similar sentiments, saying, “If he’s fit, he’s a contender”. He recently made headlines for his criticism of world No. 1 Jannik Sinner over two failed doping tests, a topic that has fuelled ongoing debates in the tennis community.

Yet, Kyrgios remains unapologetically himself. “I’ve always been someone that’s played my brand of tennis and my personality,” he said. “I haven’t changed since I was 10 years old. I think it’s good to be back. I think it’s important. I think the sport was getting a bit mundane.”

–IANS

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