- Controversy magnet has been on 18-month injury hiatus
- Says the tour has been missing big personalities
Nick Kyrgios has told tennis fans he’s back to rescue the sport from boring stars as he insisted the tour has been worse off without him during his 18-month injury hiatus.
While Kyrgios has remained outspoken on a variety of controversial topics and has returned to the Grand Slams in a broadcasting role during his injury hiatus, the Aussie star boasted on Friday that ‘the sport has been getting a bit mundane’ without him.
The 29-year-old had been out of action for nearly two years, but returned to the ATP Tour last week, joining up with Novak Djokovic to play doubles, while also making a venture back into singles at the Brisbane International.
Kyrgios, one of the sport’s great entertainers, had fans on their feet at the Pat Rafter Arena last week and many have been eager to catch him practising at Melbourne Park just before the Australian Open begins.
Despite that, doubts still revolve over his fitness after Kyrgios announced he would not be joining up with the Serbian for a doubles exhibition match on Thursday after suffering a fresh injury blow.
Kyrgios, today, said he was feeling good and now has three days to recover before he is due out on court again.
It is fair to say that tennis without Kyrgios would be less entertaining.
‘I think, I mean, we watch sport because we want personalities. I think we watch tennis as well, it’s that one-on-one aspect, now there’s coaching allowed,’ Kyrgios said.
‘But I really enjoy tennis because it was one versus one. You had to watch that person figure it out over a four or five-hour period. You saw the amount of emotions that one person goes under. It’s like drama, theatre.
‘For me being personally back, I think it adds a bit of question marks to like what is going to happen today. I love that.
‘Every time I step out on the court, I don’t know if I’m going to be super controversial in a good or bad way.
‘Throughout my career, it hasn’t always been good, but it’s added a lot of excitement to the game.
‘I think it’s important. There’s so many good players on the tour now. I think there’s not so many contrasting personalities.’
But Kyrgios believes his return is only a good thing for tennis.
He’ll make his Australian Open return next week and will face off against British star Jacob Fearnley.
‘I think it’s healthy that I’m back and I’m playing. Doesn’t really weigh on me, though. I’ve always been someone that’s played my brand of tennis, and I guess my personality, I haven’t changed since I was 10 years old. Anyone that knows me knows that I’ve been just how I am now.
‘I think it’s good to be back. I think it’s important. I think the sport was getting a bit mundane.’
He also said some experts have underestimated how hard he has worked to get back to full fitness.
‘Yeah, I think I was talking about this yesterday. I feel like when you’re injured, people think you don’t play as much tennis and you’re not doing as much, but you’re actually doing a bit more,’ Kyrgios said.
‘I feel like I haven’t been away from the game. Competitively I have been, but I don’t feel like that. I feel like I’ve been playing more tennis, more than ever.
‘I think me trying to emulate the match load in training, the body getting used to it again, anyone that has had an injury that’s kept them out of the game for a year plus know that it’s so hard to load manage, because you’re trying to get ready for the match intensity.
Buoyed by his performances in Brisbane, Kyrgios added that
‘I think that’s what I was doing. After Brisbane, it was really encouraging. Obviously, my body was struggling a little bit. I was like, OK, I’m going to try to build on that. Then obviously had a little bit more of a setback.
‘I think it’s just part of the game. Niggles. I don’t think anyone really feels 100 per cent. Look, as long as it’s not something like my wrist again, I think I can manage it.’
