Tennis player Nick Kyrgios withdrew from the Australian Open a day before entering the opening Grand Slam of the season. A torn meniscus will not allow the home defending champion in the doubles game.
“Obviously I’m extremely disappointed. To be honest, I’m exhausted from everything and it’s pretty brutal,” Kyrgios said at a hastily called press conference.
“I’m devastated. It’s one of the most important tournaments of my career, my home tournament. It wasn’t easy at all. The timing is bad, but that’s life. Injury is part of sport,” he added.
He then published on social networks the blood clot that doctors had removed from his knee a few days ago.
The world number 21 was Melbourne’s biggest home hope for the title, which was last won by Australian players in 1976.
The 27-year-old Kyrgios was scheduled to play Roman Safjullin from Russia in the first round. His best result at the Australian Open in singles is the quarter-finals in 2015. At the Grand Slams, then the final of last year’s Wimbledon.
“The only thing I can do now is look forward. Do what I need to do and come back,” the famous stormtrooper decided.
