Australia’s Nick Kyrgios has admitted that he is coping with both shoulder and hip issues ahead of his first round clash against Philipp Kohlschreiber at the French Open on Tuesday.
The world No.19 has been hit by physical setbacks in the build up to the second grand slam of the season. At the Madrid Open the 22-year-old struggled with his hip during his third round clash against Rafael Nadal. The issue force Kyrgios to withdraw from the Rome Open, which occurred a week after Madrid.
Kyrgios is aware of the downside of having a hip issue. At last year’s US Open he was forced to retire in the third round due to the same problem. It is far from ideal timing for the 22-year-old, who has vowed to battle through the pain.
“Obviously my body’s giving me a bit of a hard time at the moment, but I’m ready to play,” Reuters quoted Kyrgios telling Australian media.
“It’s the same sort of stuff as the U.S. Open. A couple of things going on, but then nothing major that I have to instantly pull out or anything like that.
“I can work through it.”
To complicate his Roland Garros task further, there is also a shoulder problem hindering his preparation. According to Australian media, Kyrgios has been undergoing daily physiotherapy to treat the issue.
The Wimbledon goal
Kyrgios’ immediate focus will be on Paris, but the rising star has no plans of jeopardizing himself before the Wimbledon Championships. It is unclear as to how long it will take for his injuries to heal. In Paris, Kyrgios could play Kevin Anderson, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Marin Cilic later this week if he progresses to the fourth round.
“I think you can get rid of it. It probably needs some rest and then I can sort of build up again. That’s how it’s going to get away,” he said.
“But at this stage it’s a tough period. Obviously I haven’t had much rest.
“We’ll see after this week how it pulls up and then obviously my main focus is Wimbledon.
“The grass suits my game most and I enjoy London and I enjoy playing there, so I think the grass is obviously my best chance.”
Seeded 18th in the tournament, Kyrgios has only won five matches at the French Open since 2013, when he made his grand slam debut. The past two years he has reached the third round of the tournament, his best performance to date at Roland Garros.
