Nick Kyrgios expressed his desire to retire from tennis less than a week after withdrawing from the Australian Open for the second consecutive year. Kyrgios had a minimal presence in the 2023 tennis season, participating in only one match at the Stuttgart Open, where he suffered a defeat against Yibing Wu, showcasing a performance far from his best.
Injuries prevented the former Wimbledon finalist from being on the court just when it seemed he was experiencing a definitive breakthrough in the latter part of 2022.
Nick Kyrgios says he doesn’t want to play tennis anymore & he can’t walk without pain, but he has more to give: “If it was up to me… I don’t really want to play anymore, to be honest. But I have to, almost. I have so much more to give. I’m exhausted. I’m tired. I’ve had 3…
This period included his first Grand Slam final and a title at the ATP 500 Washington Open. Recently, Kyrgios acknowledged in the On Purpose podcast that he would have already retired from tennis if it weren't for the support of his loved ones:
“If it was up to me,” former world No. 13 said. “I don't really want to play any more, to be honest. But I have to, almost. I have so much more to give.”
'I'm exhausted, I'm tired. I've had three surgeries now. I'm only 28 years old. I always wanted to be able to have a family and not be in pain. When I get up, I can't walk without pain,” Kyrgios added.
"Even if I won [Wimbledon], people would be like, 'Now do it again,' Kyrgios explained. 'That's the rat-race of life. How much is enough? I'm very content with my life, I have more than enough to enjoy."
Kyrgios recently announced that he won't be participating in the upcoming Australian Open, further deepening the uncertainty surrounding an imminent comeback. He shared this information on his new OnlyFans account, adding to the speculation about when he might return to competitive play.
'Obviously had a really tough year with injury, had that knee surgery and came back a little too soon, set me back a little bit,' Kyrgios said.
“So, this is a very disappointing time for me, but I won't be able to compete at the 2024 Australian Open.”
The return date of Kyrgios remains unknown. Initially expected to make a comeback at the Ultimate Tennis Showdown in Seoul, starting on December 15, he has been replaced by the Japanese player Yoshito Nishioka.
