Nick Kyrgios: I'm exhausted and tired – if it were up to me, I'd retire right now

Nick Kyrgios admitted that he did not miss sports during the long break. Photo: Getty Images/Darrian Trainor

Nick Kyrgios admitted that “I don't want to play [tennis] anymore” in his latest interview.

Less than a week after ruling himself out of the Australian Open due to a wrist injury, Kyrgios told podcast host Jay Shetty that he would happily retire except for the support he receives from friends, family and team members.

“If it were up to me,” Kyrgios Shetty told the On Purpose podcast, “Honestly, I don’t want to play anymore. But I almost have to. I can give so much more.

“I'm tired, I'm tired. I have now undergone three surgeries. I'm only 28 years old. I always wanted to have a family and not suffer from pain. When I get up, I can't walk without pain.

“Even if I won [Wimbledon], people would say, 'Now do it again,'” Kyrgios explained. “It's the rat race of life. How much is enough? I'm very happy with my life, I have more than enough entertainment.”

Kyrgios' absence from the first major in 2024 will be a major blow to Tennis Australia, which has seen its popularity, ticket sales and viewing figures soar when he and his close friend Thanasi Kokkinakis won the Australain Open doubles title in 2022.

Thanasi Kokkinakis and Nick Kyrgios (right) became the first wild card team to win the men's doubles title at the Australian Open in the Open era. Photo: Getty Images/TPN

It was the start of a career-best season for Kyrgios, who reached the Wimbledon final, losing to Novak Djokovic in four sets, before knocking out top seed Daniil Medvedev from the US Open. But he then required surgery to remove a cyst in his knee and has played only one match since then. Even that one performance against Yibing Wu in Stuttgart this summer now appears to have been a mistake.

“Obviously I had a very tough year with injury, had knee surgery and coming back too early, set me back back a little bit,” Kyrgios told his OnlyFans followers last week, before mentioning the wrist injury that appeared to have derailed his Australian Open chances.

“So, it's a very disappointing time for me. , but I will not be able to compete in the 2024 Australian Open.”

Although Kyrgios will not compete in Melbourne, the Australian Open is expected to feature an unusually large number of returning stars, including several former Grand Slam champions.

Rafael Nadal, Naomi Osaka, Caroline Wozniacki, Angelique Kerber and Emma Raducanu are included in the field, although Raducanu may have to go through a qualifying tournament if she doesn't get the wild symbol. card from Tennis Australia.