Tennis 2021: Australian star Nick Kyrgios on early retirement, mental health battle and his ATP return

After hearing Naomi Osaka speak about mental illness, Aussie Nick Kyrgios has opened up about his long battle - one he says was ‘20 times as bad’.

LONDON, ENGLAND – JUNE 30: Nick Kyrgios of Australia reacts as he slips over in his Men's Singles First Round match against Ugo Humbert of France during Day Three of The Championships – Wimbledon 2021 at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on June 30, 2021 in London, England. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images) *** BESTPIX ***

Nick Kyrgios says tennis drove him into a dark place long before Naomi Osaka raised mental health issues, and the Australian star ponders his ATP future with increasing uncertainty.

Kyrgios, who has played only five events since March 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, spoke at the Citi Open in Washington, where he won the most recent of six career ATP titles in 2019.

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The injury-prone Australian retires from Wimbledon this year. Picture: Getty Images

“I’m a part-time player I guess,” he said.

“It feels still odd to be back.

“I don’t miss it that much any more. I feel vibes, like every time I’m at a tournament it could be my last time I’m ever going to be here.

“I feel weird. I feel strange about my career at the moment. But I love being back. I love seeing all my mates.”

Kyrgios said tennis is starting to embrace unique personalities, but the Aussie says it has taken strength to withstand the pressure.

“I’m just resilient,” he said.

“If someone is not as resilient as me mentally, the amount of hate I got, the amount of racism I got, the amount of bullsh*t that I got from the tour, from fans, from everything, I could have been...

“I did fall into places where people like Naomi Osaka are now speaking about mental illness, where I was going through, in my personal opinion, 20 times as bad.

“I’m just saying this sport could have driven me into a place of dark, which it did for a bit, how mentally tough it was at 18, being one of the most well-known players in Australia, getting absolutely hammered with media. It’s not so easy.

“Now I’m 26, I’m old enough. I know it’s all bullsh*t.”

Having seen praise for Osaka’s courage in withdrawing from the French Open and Wimbledon over mental health issues, Kyrgios wishes his younger days had seen such support.

“All they receive is good press. They don’t really receive hateful messages,” he said.

“They don’t really receive ridiculously historic fines for hitting balls out of the stadium or getting a code violation.

“Instead of out-casting and almost crucifying a personality, you say, OK, this guy is different.”

Nick Kyrgios says he is a part-time player. Picture: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images

Kyrgios says he has served as an example and popular with fans.

“Deep down I know I’m great for the sport. You need personalities like that,” he said.

“Tennis has really struggled in the past embracing people that do it differently. They’re starting to warm up to it. I’ve been the example that tennis needs to embrace personalities and to make everyone feel welcome.

“Feel like I’ve been pretty iconic in the sport in the sense of doing it my own way.”

World number 77 Kyrgios withdrew from the Tokyo Olympics, in part over a spectator ban, but will have plenty of fans this week with venue capacity at 100%.

“You can feel the energy around the courts,” Kyrgios said.

“That’s for sure my favourite part of being back.

“I feel as if I’m not playing for myself any more. I feel like I’m playing for a lot of people who can relate to me.”

Kyrgios made third-round exits at the Australian Open and Wimbledon and lost his second match last week in Atlanta.

“I don’t take any tournament for granted. I try and soak in as much as I can,” he said. “I don’t feel like I’m trying to climb up the rankings or win any tournaments. I’m doing it my own way, taking it day by day.

“If I think too far ahead, it’s too complicated.”

Kyrgios microphone drop… could this be the end?

Nick Kyrgios has raised eyebrows by questioning his own future in tennis as he prepares to defend the ATP Citi Open title he won in 2019.

Kyrgios has often spoken about the fact tennis is not his favourite sport and while he’s shown immense talent, his body has struggled to withstand the rigours of a full tour with a hip injury forcing him to retire hurt at Wimbledon last month.

He returned to the ATP tour last week but was beaten by Brit Cameron Norrie in the second round in Atlanta and enters a star-studded Washington field featuring Rafael Nadal, Grigor Dimitrov and Alex de Minaur with a tough first round clash with American Mackenzie McDonald on Tuesday.

Could Australia’s Nick Kyrgios be much closer to retirement than his legion of fans realise?

Leading tour tennis writer Ben Rothenberg tweeted on Monday that the Aussie 26-year-old had again hinted at a looming retirement from the sport in a pre-tournament interview.

“Every time I’m at a tournament, I feel like it could be my last time I’m ever going to be here …,” Kyrgios reportedly said.

“I don’t know where I’m at. I feel weird. I feel strange about my career at the moment.”

Nadal returns from a foot injury layoff of nearly two months trying to rebuild top form ahead of the US Open.

The 35-year-old Spanish left-hander, who shares the all-time men’s record of 20 Grand Slam titles with Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer, makes his US capital debut on Wednesday after a first-round bye at the ATP Citi Open.

“I’m excited,” Nadal said Sunday. “I need to find again the level of tennis I need to be competitive. I hope to be able to find that in Washington. If not, hopefully in the next few weeks.”

Kyrgios has reportedly said he feels strange about where his career is placed at the moment.

World No. 3 Nadal skipped Wimbledon and the Tokyo Olympics after taking three weeks off to heal after losing to Djokovic in a French Open semi-final but now needs some hard court action to get ready for the US Open in New York.

“My body decided for myself. If I had to choose, I will never miss Wimbledon and Olympics, but I was not able to compete in these events,” Nadal said.

“I had some issues with my foot. I had to stop playing tennis for 20 days. Then I start practising, half an hour, then a little bit more. I went through the whole process.

“When I saw the calendar, I saw Washington as my goal and here I am. Missing Wimbledon, that was the right thing to do I think. The decision was the right one.”

When the US Open begins in four weeks Nadal will be seen as one of the few who might deny top-ranked Djokovic a calendar year Grand Slam after the Serbian star’s wins at the Australian and French Opens and Wimbledon.

“When you win three, you can win four. He’ll be playing on hard court, his best surface, so why not?” Nadal said.

“There will be other guys that want to achieve the last Slam of the season but he’s probably the most favoured player to achieve that, to achieve something amazing.

“I really believe he can do it without a doubt.”

Originally published as Tennis 2021: Australian star Nick Kyrgios on early retirement, mental health battle and his ATP return