"I'm not so sure anymore": Nick Kyrgios expresses doubt over comeback after Carlos Alcaraz's intimidating success

Australia’s tennis star Nick Kyrgios has joked about how Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz’s success is giving him doubts about returning to court. The 29-year-old, who was once regarded as the best Australian player, at least in the men’s singles category, is currently spending time on the sidelines to recover from a lengthy injury layoff.

The former world number 13 has been out of action for more than 12 months, and because of this, he has missed the last seven Grand Slams, including the recently concluded Wimbledon 2024. The third Grand Slam of the year concluded on Sunday, and Spain’s young tennis sensation Alcaraz lifted the title after beating former world number one Serbia’s Novak Djokovic in straight sets with a score of 6-2, 6-2, 7-6.

Kyrgios, who was working at the mega-event as a pundit, was later quoted in a report where he joked about how Alcaraz’s success is making him rethink his decision to return to the court later this year. "This is the best Grand Slam and this is the best tournament in the world. If you win this tournament you go down as tennis immortality,” he said. “Honestly seeing all this makes me want to get back out there that much. I was so close [in 2022] but he (Alcaraz) is going to be there and he's going to be standing in the way. So I'm not so sure anymore!"

Sunday’s win was a special one for Alcaraz as it was his second consecutive Wimbledon title. On both occasions, he got the better of Serbia’s legendary tennis star in the final. Last year, Alcaraz defeated Djokovic in a five-set thrilling final with a score of 1–6, 7–6(8–6), 6–1, 3–6, 6–4. That’s not it as Sunday’s win was Alcaraz’s second Grand Slam this year as well. Earlier, he won the French Open after beating Germany’s Alexander Zverev in the final in a five-set thriller with a score of 6–3, 2–6, 5–7, 6–1, 6–2.