After winning the Australian Open men’s doubles in 2022 and reaching the final of the men’s singles at Wimbledon, there were plenty of tennis pundits who thought that the penny had finally dropped for Nick Kyrgios.
Undeniably talented, the 28-year-old has perhaps underachieved in the sport having only made that single Grand Slam final appearance.
But if there was a breakthrough in 2022, it has been derailed by his disappearance since. So where is Nick Kyrgios? And will he return to tennis soon?
Treatment Tabled
The tennis odds for Wimbledon 2024 make the Australian the sixth favourite at 18/1, which would seem to be good value given that he has a greater variety of shots – and better hands at the net – than the likes of Daniil Medvedev (11/1) and Matteo Berrettini (18/1).
Whether he features in the tennis betting tips for that, or indeed any other major, in 2024 will depend upon his fitness, which has been the main reason why his 2023 has been a write-off.
The 28-year-old underwent knee surgery in January, a procedure that was complicated by a cyst that was found inside his knee after the operation. Krygios admitted that it had taken him five months to get fit and ready to restart his ATP Tour career, forcing him to miss his home championship and the French Open.
That resumption should have taken place at Wimbledon, where the Australian was expected to feature prominently despite a lack of competitive action. But he suffered more frustration when tearing a ligament in his wrist during training – an ailment that continues to dog him into the business end of the 2023 campaign.
We’re here for it @JackSock92 and @NickKyrgios. pic.twitter.com/uLdWcIgrYz
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) June 16, 2023
It’s thought that the problem may prevent Kyrgios from taking to the court at the US Open, where he reached the quarter-finals of the men’s singles in 2022. It could also bring a quick halt to his budding bromance with Jack Sock, who had asked the Australian to be his doubles partner at Flushing Meadows.
Doubling Up
Another of Krygios’ buddies on tour, Novak Djokovic, appears to be stepping up his preparation for a US Open tilt of his own.
The Serbian admitted he would love to coach Kyrgios, claiming “he would win five Slams with me”, before confirming that any tutelage “would not come cheap.”
But in the meantime, he’s left to plot US Open glory – with his warm-up plans including the rarest of doubles appearances.
Djokovic will team up with countryman Nikola Cacic at the Cincinnati Open, marking only his second outing in a doubles event in 2023. He will also play in the singles too – a tournament he has won twice before, marking his first appearance since losing in the final of Wimbledon.
Getting more time on court in America is the plan as Djokovic acclimatises to the conditions ahead of the US Open – an event he is planning to win for a fourth time and level Margaret Court’s all-time Grand Slam record of 24 victories.
It’s also true that Cacic will likely be Djokovic’s doubles partner at the Davis Cup, while it’s not impossible that the duo will also contest the Olympic Games together in Paris next year.
All roads lead to Flushing Meadows for Djokovic, but will he bump into his old friend Kyrgios there?
