Nick Kyrgios Should Not Be Written Off At Australian Open Says Former No. 1
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Nick Kyrgios has only played one professional match in the last two years, but that has not stopped former No. 1 Pat Rafter from saying his chances of going far at the Australian Open should not be written off.
Kyrgios' only appearance since the end of the 2022 season was a failed comeback attempt at the 2023 Stuttgart Open. The 29-year-old hoped to be fit for Wimbledon but it did not happen.
Severe wrist and ankle injuries have kept him out of the game for the last two years. During the one match he played in Stuttgart, Kyrios visibly struggled to move around the court due to pain in his knee.
That knee issue eventually healed, but the wrist injury almost ended Kyrgios' career. He had a wrist reconstruction and was told by the surgeon beforehand that his chances of playing professional tennis after were about 15%.
Fortunately, the surgery was very successful. Kyrgios will return to the ATP Tour during the opening week of the 2025 season at the Brisbane International in preparation for the Australian Open.
The 2022 Wimbledon runner-up does not lack ambition. He spoke openly about wanting to win a Grand Slam during his return to the sport to silence those who have doubted him throughout his career.
Many have argued for years that Kyrgios possesses the talent to secure multiple Grand Slam singles titles. Kyrgios has one of the best serves in tennis history, is a great volleyer, and can produce outrageous winners off both groundstrokes.
The Australian's failure to secure a major title before his lengthy absence due to injuries has led to some calling him an underachiever, but Kyrgios thinks it is insane to describe him that way, pointing to setbacks he has recovered from off the court.
Rafter was Australia's Davis Cup captain when Kyrgios debuted in the competition in 2013 as an 18-year-old. Therefore, the two-time US Open champion has a long-term insight into Kyrgios' game and antics.
Speaking to AAP, Rafter admitted he is unsure how Kyrgios will perform during his comeback but thinks it would be unwise to write off somebody as talented as the 29-year-old.
"You’d never write anyone off with the talent that Nick has. It’s pretty amazing. I really don’t know what he’s done, though. A year and a half off the game ... so it’s going to be interesting. I have no expectations or no understanding about how he is going to go."
"He's got a massive game. But can he keep it together? Can his body hold up? Can he keep his mind together? They’re probably his really big hurdles, especially his body.If you don’t play competitively, God, it’s a completely different thing than to training.” "
"So I really don’t know what to expect from him. I think it’s all up in the air. If you go there to see him play, it will be interesting to see. I don’t know quite what the expectation is from the pundits but my expectation is there is none."
"When I say there is no expectation, if he gets to the quarters, the semis, it wouldn’t surprise me. If he loses the first round, it wouldn’t surprise me. I don’t know."
