Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis have withdrawn from the 2022 Wimbledon doubles event in a surprise turn of events.
Kyrgios and Kokkinakis have played a blinder on the doubles court this season. The two friends joined forces to win their first Grand Slam in doubles at the 2022 Australian Open in front of a rapturous home crowd.
They have since played two more tournaments during the spring hard-court swing in the USA and reached the semifinal of the Miami Open. Because Kyrgios chose not to compete in the European clay swing, the duo temporarily separated but were scheduled to be back together on the grass.
The two Australians were supposed to play their round one Wimbledon doubles match later today, but they have withdrawn from the tournament. The decision is mildly surprising considering that Kyrgios delivered a punchy rant on the eve of Wimbledon, blasting the best-of-five sets format that is in place for doubles.
I think it’s the stupidest thing ever, to be brutally honest. I don’t know why it’s best-of-five sets. No one wants to play best-of-five sets doubles. No one wants to watch best-of-five sets doubles. I’m excited, but I’m also dreading the fact that if it’s one set all, I’m going to have to be playing three more sets of doubles. So I don’t know. That’s why I haven’t played it before. It doesn’t make sense.
For now, Kyrgios will focus on his singles campaign at Wimbledon, where he has earned two contrasting victories. The 27-year-old struggled to defeat British wild card Paul Jubb in his opening match, which he was stretched to five sets but prevailed.
But Kyrgios needed less than 90 minutes to beat Filip Krajinovic in the second round in straight sets. He will play Mallorca champion Stefanos Tsitsipas in the third round.
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