Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios has been forced to delay his start to the 2022 season after pulling out of the Melbourne Summer Set tournament.
The world No.93 was set to play in the 250 event which would have been his first taste of competitive tennis since the US Open. However, he has withdrawn from the event on Tuesday due to asthma. He was due to play Alex Molcan but has now been replaced in the draw by a lucky loser.
In a statement Kyrgios said he has been feeling unwell in recent days but has undergone numerous COVID-19 tests which have all been negative. He didn’t go into detail about what symptoms he has been experiencing or how severe they are. Kyrgios hopes to recover in time for next week’s Sydney Tennis Classic which will take place a week before the start of the Australian Open.
“I’m really sorry that I’ve had to pull out from this Melbourne Summer Set event,” said Kyrgios.
“I have been feeling really run down and unwell for four days. I have had several COVID-19 tests over the last few days, which all came back negative.
“I don’t feel 100 per cent so I need to take this week to be ready for Sydney next week.
“I was really looking forward to experiencing the best fans in the world here at home! I can’t wait to get back out there and see you all.
“Take care out there and see you soon.”
Since January 2020, Kyrgios has played just 10 tournaments with four of those taking place in his home country. This is due to a combination of initially not wanting to travel during the COVID-19 pandemic and injury. Despite his somewhat limited schedule in recent months, the Australian still believes he has the ability to beat the world’s best players on the Tour.
“No matter who I play I still feel like I can beat anyone,” he told Nine News Australia a week ago. “I probably played the least amount of tennis out of anyone on Tour the last two years. I still feel confident in my game.”
“I feel like I am the kind of player who comes with a lot more than just tennis. I feel like I am doing so much other stuff off the court. I’m starting to do more things that I want to enjoy using my platform to help others.’ He later added.
Kyrgios has been ranked as high as 13th in the world and has won six ATP titles so far in his career.