Nick Kyrgios faces injury setback ahead of Australian Open

Nick Kyrgios is racing to recover in time for the Australian Open after revealing he is dealing with an abdominal strain.

The Australian star withdrew from a planned exhibition doubles match with Novak Djokovic, raising concerns about his fitness for the tournament, which begins on Sunday.

Kyrgios shared details of his injury on Wednesday, explaining that an ultrasound confirmed the issue.

“Unfortunately, [I] won’t be able to play my good friend Novak Djokovic this Thursday on the 9th as I’ve had an ultrasound on my abdominal and have a grade 1 strain,” Kyrgios said.

“Will be resting and doing everything I can to be okay for the Australian Open.”

Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley reassured fans that Kyrgios’ withdrawal was precautionary and should not impact his participation in the tournament.

“I think it’s just precautionary, that’s the word we’ve got from him,” Tiley said.

“Nick’s not the only one not doing some of their pre-planned matches over the next few days. There’s no concerns ahead of the Open.”

Kyrgios’ injury comes after a challenging return to professional tennis at the Brisbane International last week, where he suffered early exits in both singles and doubles.

The 29-year-old has played only three matches since the 2022 US Open due to extended time on the sidelines.

The news has also impacted Kyrgios’ standing in Australian Open betting markets.

The top betting sites have lengthened his odds to win the tournament to +8000, a significant change from the +3000 odds offered just 10 days ago.

Jannik Sinner leads the betting at +137 with Bovada, while Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic are also strong contenders, both listed at +350 to claim the year’s first Grand Slam title.

As Kyrgios focuses on rest and recovery, fans and analysts alike will be watching closely to see if the Aussie can return to full fitness in time for his home Grand Slam.

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