Massive injury for Nick Kyrgios ahead of Wimbledon as his surgically repaired knee puts a huge dent in his preparation
- Nick Kyrgios has withdrawn from Halle Open
- Preparations for Wimbledon are messed up
- The 28-year-old was a finalist in 2022
- A long-term knee injury limits his mobility
Nick Kyrgios has pulled out of the Halle Open grass court this week due to ongoing problems with the knee he had surgery on – but last year’s men’s singles finalist insists he is hopeful of competing in the grand slam.
The Australian star was announced as a non-starter in the German warm-up event on Monday, citing a knee injury that kept him out of this year’s Australian Open.
But in a press release and video from the organizers of Halle, the 28-year-old remained optimistic.
‘Very sad news. I will not be able to drive in Halle this year. I am still dealing with some things with my knee. I’m just trying to give myself the best chance of participating in Wimbledon,” Kyrgios said.
“As you all know, that tournament means a lot to me and I just want to do everything right for my body.
Nick Kyrgios has withdrawn from this week’s Halle Open in Germany as doubts grow over his fitness ahead of Wimbledon
The 28-year-old said he is “trying to give myself the best chance of participating in Wimbledon,” which starts on July 3.
‘I’ve tried everything here in Halle in recent days, but then I had to take the plunge. When I play I want to deliver a performance like last year when I was in the semi-finals. But that really won’t be possible.’
Kyrgios only made his comeback last week after being sidelined all season after knee surgery – but struggled as he went out in the first round in Stuttgart, beaten by grass newcomer Wu Yibing 7-5 6-3.
Kyrgios moved around cautiously, looking like he might have made his comeback too early, and was clearly reluctant to race around the field.
During the substitution after the third game of the second set, Kyrgios was heard to say to his team: ‘I feel my knee every point. I can’t walk without pain.’
After stumbling off the pitch, the Canberra man wrote on social media last week: “Be patient with me my fans please. It’s a process of getting back to where I was.
“I know it’s hard for you to see me perform like today, but I need more time and hopefully I can get back to where I was.”
Kyrgios returned to court last week after knee surgery, but was beaten by grass newcomer Wu Yibing 7-5 6-3 at the Stuttgart Open (pictured, at Wimbledon last year)
The Aussie (pictured, with girlfriend Costeen Hatzi) made it to the 2022 All England Club final, losing to Novak Djokovic in four sets
Halle organizers said Kyrgios had since felt a recurrence of the knee problem during training in Germany.
So whether the man who took the peerless Novak Djokovic to four sets in last year’s Wimbledon final can now be in any shape to right himself again still seems unlikely with the slam set to begin on July 3.
He was due to face Lorenzo Sonego in Tuesday’s opening round in Halle, but his withdrawal has seen Russian Aslan Karatsev, the former Australian Open semi-finalist, take his place as the lucky loser.
If Kyrgios decides to also shun the ATP events in Majorca or Eastbourne next week, the last chance for him to get into the competitive groove, he will enter Wimbledon after playing just one tour match in nine months – a losing one.