Nick Kyrgios has announced that he will not be participating in the 2024 Australian Open, but he will still be present as a commentator, despite his controversial reputation in the world of tennis.
The 28-year-old fan favorite and runner-up at the 2022 Wimbledon tournament was not included in the entry list for the event on Wednesday evening. However, Australian Open director Craig Tiley suggested that the rebellious player from Canberra would still be present at the tournament in some capacity.
Australian tennis player Kyrgios, who was met with both positive and negative reactions during his first appearance as a commentator on the Tennis Channel last month, has utilized his newly created OnlyFans account to inform his supporters of his unexpected withdrawal.
“I regret to announce that I will not be participating in the 2024 Australian Open,” stated Kyrgios in a video. “Despite not being able to compete this year, I will still be present at the AO as a commentator. I have some exciting things in store, so please stay tuned.”
The individual, aged 28 and formerly ranked as the 13th best in the world, revealed on Friday that they have signed up for OnlyFans, a subscription-based online service, with a free account for their content. They utilized this platform, which has sparked controversy, to share this news. This may create even more division among tennis enthusiasts, as many view this person as a talented player who has not lived up to their potential.
In 2022, Kyrgios and his close friend Thanasi Kokkinakis were champions of the Australian Open in doubles. However, due to multiple injuries, Kyrgios has had limited playing time since October 2022. As of September 11 of this year, he has dropped to No. 192 in the ATP rankings.
In 2023, the athlete, who is 28 years old, was unable to participate in the Australian Open due to a left knee injury that needed surgery. This led to him missing all four major tournaments in a disappointing season where he only played one match, lasting 68 minutes, and lost to China’s Yibing Wu in the first round of the Stuttgart tournament in June.
Kyrgios faced widespread backlash when he withdrew from Wimbledon at the last minute, just one month after his impressive performance in the 2022 final against Novak Djokovic. Despite reaching a career-best result in a grand slam, Kyrgios announced his withdrawal from the 2023 tournament due to a wrist injury, the day before his first round match against David Goffin from Belgium.
There is now information that his 2024 start will also be postponed because of an injury.
Kyrgios informed his supporters that he had faced a challenging year due to injury. He underwent knee surgery and returned to the court prematurely, which hindered his progress. Additionally, he also experienced wrist problems. As a result, he expressed disappointment during this period.
He expressed that the choice to withdraw from the 2024 Australian Open was “devastating.”
“I have cherished countless incredible experiences there and my ultimate goal is to return to top form and perform at my best. However, I require some additional time to do so properly. I came very close to winning a grand slam and I want to ensure that my body has enough time to recover before making a comeback. Thank you for your understanding and patience.”
Kyrgios was not expected to participate in the Australian Open, as he has not played for six months. Despite injuries, Rafael Nadal, Marin Cilic, Denis Shapovalov, Soonwoo Koon, Jiri Vesely, Milos Raonic, and Reilly Opelka have all secured spots in the tournament through their protected rankings.
Tiley, the Australian Open manager, stated that Kyrgios’ progress is being monitored closely and that Kyrgios himself will be the best judge of his availability. However, Tiley confirmed that Kyrgios will definitely be present in some capacity at the tournament in January.
