Kyrgios Faces Challenges After Injury Return
Nick Kyrgios, the well-known Australian tennis player, has had a tough time getting back into the swing of things after being away from the sport due to an injury.
Kyrgios made his return to the ATP Tour at the Brisbane International earlier this month. However, his first match back didn’t go as planned, as he lost to Aleksandar Kovacevic in straight sets.
Following this, Kyrgios announced that he wouldn’t be participating in the singles tournament at the Australian Open.
Despite this setback, Kyrgios decided to participate in an exhibition event called ‘Red Bull Bassline’.
Unfortunately for Kyrgios, this event didn’t bring the results he was hoping for either.
Kyrgios Reflects on Performance at Red Bull Bassline
The Red Bull Bassline tournament featured a number of players, including Kyrgios, Jordan Thompson, Arthur Rinderknech, Flavio Cobolli, Matteo Berrettini, and Nicolai Budkov Kjaer.
The players were divided into two groups, the ‘Red Group’ and the ‘Blue Group’. Kyrgios was placed in the ‘Red Group’ along with Thompson and Rinderknech.
In his first match, Kyrgios faced fellow Australian player Jordan Thompson. Thompson won the match.
Kyrgios then played against Arthur Rinderknech and was defeated. This meant Kyrgios exited the competition without securing a win.
After the match, Rinderknech shared his thoughts on playing against Kyrgios, noting Kyrgios’s unpredictable style of play.
Kyrgios also commented on his performance, acknowledging the challenges he faced and the strong competition.
Ultimately, it was Nicolai Budkov Kjaer from Norway who emerged as the winner of the Red Bull Bassline event, defeating Thompson in the final.
Looking Ahead: Kyrgios to Play Doubles at the Australian Open
While Nick Kyrgios won’t be competing in the singles competition at the Australian Open, he still intends to participate in the doubles event alongside Thanasi Kokkinakis.
There was some uncertainty about whether they would actually play together, as Kokkinakis had to withdraw from the Adelaide International due to an ongoing injury.
However, Kokkinakis reassured fans by sharing a message on social media, confirming that they still plan to compete in the doubles event.
Kokkinakis stated that despite an incredibly tough year, this was the event he was looking forward to the most, but he’s not ready yet. “We will still give doubles a go.”
Kyrgios and Kokkinakis have previously experienced success as a doubles team, having won the Australian Open doubles title in 2022.
Last year, they tried to play doubles together at the Australian Open, but the pair retired from their first-round match during the second set.
Whether they will be able to repeat their past success remains to be seen, but their participation is sure to attract attention.
The Australian Open is scheduled to commence on January 18.
