Nick Kyrgios pulls out of Australian Open a day before first match
Nick Kyrgios has pulled out of the Australian Open just one day before his scheduled first round against Roman Safiullin on Tuesday night.
The 27-year-old announced the shocking news on Monday afternoon, revealing that his knee is the cause of the decision.
He explained that he was experiencing pain in his knee after playing a friendly match with his friend and fellow tennis player Thanasi Kokkinakis.
After getting it checked out, the MRI of his knee showed a small tear in his lateral meniscus and a cyst.
“I got off the court yesterday and was dealing with it and we were going to make a call then,” Kyrgios said on Monday.
“I was, like, you know, I’ve worked so hard, put myself in the position to be — you know, I was ranked outside 100 a year ago. Now I’ve had the year I had last year and back inside the 20, being seeded at a Grand Slam, feeling as good as I’m feeling and playing the way I’m feeling.
“I wanted to give myself a chance.”
The tennis player said he was “devastated” to not be playing in the Australian Open because its “my home tournament”.
He will undergo arthroscopic surgery on his knee, with hopes of hitting the court for the Indian Wells tournament in California in March.
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