US Open: Alex de Minaur will be ‘dangerous’ as he joins Nick Kyrgios at exhibition event

Lleyton Hewitt has weighed in on Nick Kyrgios’ unconventional return to tennis as he rates Australia’s best US Open chances.

Nick Kyrgios’ former Davis Cup captain Lleyton Hewitt says he would be missing playing tennis ‘deep down’ despite taking up several prominent commentary opportunities. Picture: Clive Brunskill / Getty Images

Nick Kyrgios’ return to the top flight “won’t happen overnight” but Lleyton Hewitt thinks his former protege has the desire to mount a genuine comeback bid.

The polarising 29-year-old will play doubles and mixed doubles at two exhibition tournaments this week ahead of the US Open, where he is not expected to be in the draw.

Alex de Minaur will join Kygrios at the Ultimate Tennis Showdown event in New York as he attempts to return from a hip injury in time for the grand slam, with Hewitt saying the top-ranked Australian’s chances were “a bit of an unknown”.

de Minaur was forced to withdraw before his Wimbledon quarter-final due to a cartilage tear in his hip and failed to recover in time to compete in the Olympic singles in Paris.

Hewitt said he hoped the world no. 10 could carry on his consistent form at majors after reaching the quarter-finals at Wimbledon and Roland Garros along with a round of 16 appearance at Melbourne Park in January.

Alex de Minaur is pursuing a third consecutive grand slam quarter-finals run at the US Open beginning next week. Picture: Clive Brunskill / Getty Images

“It’s a little bit unknown with Alex at the moment. I know he’s been doing absolutely everything in his power to get us close to 100 per cent right for the US Open,” Hewitt said.

“He was desperate to play obviously at the Olympics as well, in singles, and he missed out on that.

“So there’s certainly been some frustration over the last four or five weeks, and he’s a kid in a hurry.”

Hewitt said de Minaur had a style well suited to Flushing Meadows and could “play himself into the tournament” if he escaped difficult match-ups in the early rounds.

The 2001 US Open winner said the conditions would suit world no. 3 Carlos Alcaraz as he backed the Spaniard to rebound from a shock loss to Gael Monfils at the Cincinnati Open.

Hewitt said Alexei Popyrin, playing in his first grand slam as a seed, had made “massive gains” during his title win in Montreal and would enter the tournament high in confidence.

Kyrgios has moved into commentary at the Australian Open and Wimbledon this year, but Hewitt believes he has a desire to revive his playing career. Picture: Graham Denholm / Getty Images

Kyrgios could assume another commentary role at Flushing Meadows after he was part of the BBC’s Wimbledon broadcast, but Hewitt said he believed the 29-year-old genuinely wanted to return to playing.

The former world no. 13 has not played in a grand slam since the 2022 US Open or in a competitive match since June 2023 after failing to overcome wrist, knee and foot injuries.

“I think everyone hopes (he’ll return). It’s hard to know – he seems like he’s in a pretty happy space at the moment. I know he’s been doing the work off court, but it’s going to be tough to go out there and get your body ready for the battles, especially five-set tennis again,” Hewitt said.

“So I don’t think that will happen overnight but certainly in the UTS event … it’s good for him to be over there playing against quality players as well. So we’ll see how he pulls up from that.

“I think deep down, he really does miss it and getting out there and playing in those big tournaments. So hopefully he gets the opportunity to come back sometime soon.”