Nick Kyrgios’s ranking set to hit five-year low

A likely exclusion from Davis Cup duties gives Nick Kyrgios a window to restore his world ranking.

Nick Kyrgios has few rankings points to defend before the grass court season starts in June. Picture: AFP

Shortly after a straight sets loss to Milos Raonic on Tuesday night, Nick Kyrgios claimed he was available for Davis Cup duties in Adelaide at the start of February but doubted his form was good enough to earn selection.

An exile from Davis Cup considerations could act as a parachute for a plummeting ranking of the combustible Canberran, who is set to slide to his lowest ranking in five years at the completion of the Australian Open.

A live rankings estimate has the 23-year-old sitting at 67 in the world, which will be the lowest it has been since he was positioned at 70 a month after he defeated Richard Gasquet and Rafael Nadal at Wimbledon en route to a quarter-final in 2014.

After that run, Kyrgios became the highest ranked man of his age for years until the emergence of Alexander Zverev. Now he is barely inside the top 15 players in the world aged 23-and-younger.

And another compatriot in Jordan Thompson will relegate him to fifth in the Australian rankings behind Alex de Minaur, John Millman and Matt Ebden at the end of the Open. Even Bernard Tomic looms in his rear-window.

It is a staggering decline given the Australian’s talent and it may well affect not only his eligibility to compete in Masters events, but his ability to attract appearance fees from tournament directors.

But the four-time ATP Tour title winner, who yesterday partnered Matt Reid in doubles, said he is not too concerned about the ranking predicament.

“I mean, obviously I was well conscious that I could have drawn anyone here. I know that’s the danger of being unseeded. I’m not complaining, honestly,” he said.

Kyrgios has a window where he can re-establish himself ahead of the Masters swing through the United States in March and the European clay circuit.

The concern for Kyrgios, who complained of knee soreness throughout his loss to the Canadian, is being both fit and motivated enough to enjoy a pressure-free period.

Due to an elbow injury that flared during a loss to Alexander Zverev in a Davis Cup tie in Brisbane last February, the right-hander has relatively few points (135 of the 750 that position him at 67) to defend until the grass court season in June.

He returned briefly to the tour in Miami where he reached the last 16 before falling to Zverev yet again. Another loss in Houston midway through April forced him to return home for further treatment on the joint and miss the entirety of the clay court season.

Kyrgios is entered into events in Rotterdam and then Acapulco. By virtue of the six-week lag that tournaments use when deciding final entries, Kyrgios’ ranking should be high enough for him to play at Indian Wells, considered the biggest tournament outside the grand slams.

But there could be a problem in Miami, for he will be positioned near the cut-off and may well be forced into qualifying rounds.