Nick Kyrgios says he likely won’t play singles again

Australian Community Media

Australian tennis player Nick Kyrgios says he’s likely played his last singles match at the Australian Open. Video by Australian Open TV

Transcript

00:00Nick, that moment in the third set where you did the underhand and then the behind the back and did this one.

00:07You seemed to really take in that crowd. What did that feel like for you particularly,

00:13given I'm sure there was moments in your recovery where you thought, I just want to play again?

00:19Yeah, I mean realistically I can't really see myself probably playing singles again here.

00:26So yeah, it was special. Taking that in, it was pretty good. It was good, yeah.

00:34So yeah, I mean look, I knew that I had doubles, so I didn't want to, you know,

00:40I kind of was taking everything in tonight, you know, in those moments.

00:43It was, yeah, it was nuts. But yeah, that's what I mean.

00:48I didn't want to just throw in the towel and walk off or retire.

00:53I was hurting physically, but I respect my opponent, the fans that waited hours to come see me play.

01:00Yeah, I mean realistically I probably can't see myself playing singles match here again.

01:05Matt?

01:06I guess first just to confirm, you're good for the doubles though?

01:11Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, me and Fenasi kind of, I think we owe it to each other to go out there and play.

01:16Obviously I know that he's a physical wreck most of the time, but he somehow pushes through

01:21and props to him for getting through his match today.

01:27Yeah, but I guess we will play doubles. You know, I'll play doubles. So yeah.

01:32What you did tonight, you felt like level was there.

01:36That doesn't encourage you to play, that you could play singles while here moving forward at some point?

01:43I mean, I don't know, realistically a year from now, you know, I was knocking on the door,

01:50playing some of the biggest events, I mean winning some of the biggest events

01:54and to see how hard I worked in the last year and just to see, you know, I know as, you know,

02:00I'm sorry I don't know your name, but as you said, I didn't think I was going to be back here anyway playing.

02:05You know, I didn't get a wild card. I was playing, you know, I'm here because I feel like I deserve to be here.

02:10But it's hard when you're competing for the biggest tournaments in the world

02:14and you're struggling to win sets physically. It's pretty tough.

02:19But, you know, I've still got a long year ahead and I'm trusting the process that I can still, you know,

02:24be able to do some cool things this year at some stage.

02:26But, you know, all my focus is now is just not take anything for granted.

02:30And then playing doubles with, you know, Thanasi, one of my good mates.

02:33We've won this event before, but we owe it to each other, I think,

02:36to go out there in front of the crowd and just have a bit of fun.

02:39So, Nick, is it about your body?

02:41You think at the moment you don't think your body will be holed up for next year?

02:44Or will you give it time to see if it can during the season?

02:47I mean, my wrist surgery was 16 months ago.

02:51So I just, I've put in a lot of work.

02:56Like, I think it was like I didn't play a Grand Slam for 800 and something days, like 859 days or something.

03:03So I've continued to stay motivated through all those days when I was watching everyone else play

03:08and I was on the couch, like in a cast, and I stayed motivated.

03:12You know, I trained, you know, I was in the gym.

03:15I mean, I'm in good shape.

03:16I just, all the niggles, I guess, my body compensating with the wrist is tough.

03:22But, yeah, it's just not enjoyable for me.

03:25Like, it's not enjoyable to go out there and not think tactically and not think, you know,

03:29I'm enjoying the atmosphere or where am I going to hit this ball?

03:31It's like, what am I doing to manage my body?

03:33This is painful.

03:34OK, I can't do this because this hurts.

03:36Like, it's like, that's not tennis to me.

03:38That's not sport.

03:39Like, that's, you know, I'm happy to play through a bit of discomfort,

03:43but when it gets to a point where, you know, I'm one of the biggest servers on tour

03:47and I'm serving, I'm getting out-served tonight, you know,

03:50my average serve speed was beneath 200.

03:53So, like, that's not, I mean, Nick Kyrgios without his serves,

03:59you know, probably not a, you know, I'm not a threat to many players.

04:06I'm not a threat to many players.

04:07I'm not a threat to many players.

04:08I'm not a threat to many players.

04:09I'm not a threat to many players.

04:10I'm not a threat to many players.

04:11I'm not a threat to many players.

04:12I'm not a threat to many players.

04:13I'm not a threat to many players.

04:14I'm not a threat to many players.

04:15I'm not a threat to many players.

04:16I'm not a threat to many players.

04:17I'm not a threat to many players.

04:18I'm not a threat to many players.

04:19I'm not a threat to many players.

04:20I'm not a threat to many players.

04:21I'm not a threat to many players.

04:22I'm not a threat to many players.

04:23I'm not a threat to many players.

04:24I'm not a threat to many players.

04:25I'm not a threat to many players.

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