“The tour is ridiculous”: Nick Kyrgios slams ‘absurd’ ATP Schedule, mentions Medvedev’s breakdown

Nick Kyrgios criticised the demanding ATP Tour schedule following his return to the court at the Brisbane International, using Daniil Medvedev as an example. The former World No. 13 addressed the long months players spend travelling and being away from home, which he argued is vastly different from other sports.

The 2022 Wimbledon finalist made his comeback with a loss in Brisbane to Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard 6-7, 7-6, 6-7. Kyrgios delivered a commendable performance after two years out of competition, though he struggled with wrist discomfort, raising doubts about his participation in the Australian Open.

 Kyrgios questions ATP schedule

After his run in Brisbane ended, Kyrgios spoke at a press conference criticising the ATP's demanding schedule. "The tour is ridiculous compared to any other sport," Kyrgios said this Tuesday. "It's absurd, really, the amount of travel we do, considering we don't even get paid what we are supposed to get paid, as well, which is a joke."

"Especially if you're from Australia, you don't see your family or friends for six, seven, eight months if you're playing a full schedule."

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The Australian cited Daniil Medvedev as an example of how players reach mental exhaustion by the end of the season. A month ago, at the ATP Finals, the Russian showed visible frustration during his match against Taylor Fritz, smashing racquets, damaging a microphone, and even returning a serve with the handle of his racquet.

"You look at guys like Medvedev towards the end of last season, returning with the other side of his racquet," Kyrgios added. "You've got guys like that that are starting to lose their mind a little bit because the season is just too long. And he's super-disciplined."

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Now eliminated from both singles and doubles in Brisbane, Kyrgios will head to Melbourne to fine-tune his preparation ahead of the Australian Open. However, it's still unclear if he'll feel fit enough to compete there. At the moment, Kyrgios mentioned he’s not focused on rankings and prioritises his physical well-being.

"For me, there is no ranking goal for me personally. I'm sure people are going to be telling me you've got to get your ranking up," Kyrgios said. "For me, I don't think anything about that at all. It's more about just getting healthy, getting back playing and enjoying the competition and coming back from the injury I had."

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