MELBOURNE, Australia — Australian tennis phenom Nick Kyrgios mentioned he may by no means make it again to taking part in skilled tennis, and that he is considering retiring to deal with a burgeoning media profession.
In a column penned for The Sydney Morning Herald, the one-time world No. 13 and 2022 Wimbledon finalist mentioned he is “at a crossroads” in his profession, and that whereas he nonetheless does have a want to compete on the highest degree, he is been having fun with being away from the courts doing the media rounds.
The 28-year-old has been commentating for ESPN and Eurosport at this 12 months’s Australian Open as he continues to get better from a knee harm that has been affecting him since January 2023.
“I sat down with my agent, Stuart Duguid, a few days in the past to speak about my future. The fact is, there is part of me that is aware of my time within the sport could also be over. And I am OK with that,” Kyrgios mentioned within the column.
“It is a dialog that wanted available. I am at a crossroads in my profession and have reached some extent the place life after tennis is a prospect that excites me.”
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Kyrgios’ tennis commentary has been a success with audiences the world over, and his discuss present “Good Hassle with Nick Kyrgios” formally launches this week, with quite a few high-profile visitors lined up, together with returning ladies’s star Naomi Osaka, actor Rainn Wilson and entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk, amongst others.
“I might journey the world making actually good cash commentating on the game, doing issues like I’m now with my discuss present, interviewing guys like Gordon Ramsay and Mike Tyson,” Kyrgios mentioned.
“[Other players’] total world revolves round taking part in tennis, and that is by no means been me.”
The Australian’s final full 12 months on the tennis tour was a fruitful one; in January 2022 he received the lads’s doubles title with good pal and compatriot Thanasi Kokkinakis, whereas he additionally made a maiden Slam ultimate at Wimbledon, the place he misplaced to world No. 1 Novak Djokovic in 4 hotly contested units.
Kyrgios mentioned he is aware of he can nonetheless compete for titles, however his physique is letting him down.
“I sit there and watch a number of the gamers on tour and know inside myself that this technology shouldn’t be as robust as a number of the gamers I’ve gone up in opposition to,” he mentioned.
“I do know I might be among the finest on this planet and win main tournaments — if my physique lets me. The fireplace nonetheless burns, nevertheless it’s not my the whole lot.”
The Australian additionally revealed he will not be placing his hand as much as symbolize his nation at this 12 months’s upcoming Paris Olympics, citing the therapy he obtained from the Australian Olympic Committee within the lead-up to the 2016 Rio Video games as a “shame,” and a key issue within the determination.
“I used to be No. 13 on the time and had a real probability at profitable a medal. For them to forbid me from representing my nation for behavioral causes is one thing that I simply cannot overlook,” he mentioned.
“I will not be placing my hand as much as play in Paris this 12 months. Eight years in the past, I used to be determined to symbolize Australia at an Olympic Video games, however my mentality has modified. I needed to play for my nation. I can not say that I nonetheless have that want.”
Kyrgios’ final aggressive tennis match was in June 2023, at an ATP 250 occasion in Stuttgart, Germany.
