Indicating that he won’t play tennis for five more seasons, Nick Kyrgios has hinted at an early retirement. Former Wimbledon champion Kyrgios has said he does not want to play tennis till he is 33 years old. The 28-year-old has missed every Grand Slam so far this year because of injuries, which has kept him out of much of the 2023 season. In reality, due to knee issues, he was forced to quit the night before the Australian Open.
The 35th-ranked player in the world was speaking at the UTS Tour in Los Angeles when he was forced to withdraw owing to the same wrist ailment that prevented him from competing at Wimbledon. The timetable is unmanageable, dude! I am becoming older. 28. “The schedule is out of control, bro!! I’m getting old. 28. But with all the drinking and partying I’m 57,” he said, before adding that “33 is insane. I’m not playing till I’m 33. Once I’m gone, you’ll never see me again.” (H/T Metro UK)
The 28-year-old Australian star, who is well-known for both his on and off-the-court antics, reached the Wimbledon finals the previous year. Nick Kyrgios has already spoken openly about his battles with alcoholism and binge drinking, and he acknowledges that he feels older than he actually is. Despite the fact that many tennis players continue to play well into their late 30s and early 40s, Kyrgios plans to retire before he is 33 in five years.
However, it frequently comes down to what the athlete believes is best, and Nick Kyrgios is obviously already considering life beyond the competition. The American’s longtime instructor Wayne Ferreira was unable to go, so the Australian is now training his friend and No. 10 in the world Tiafoe at the UTS.
Nick Kyrgios has shown interest in coaching down the line
According to Kyrgios, who turned 28 in April, his career and matches have been governed by his mindset, and he continues to be a volatile player in men’s tennis. It will be fascinating to watch how this one plays out, but should he decide to retire, Kyrgios plans to continue playing by serving as a coach.
While Nick Kyrgios has yet to specify when he would return to competition following his rehabilitation, he has indicated that he may retire from the sport entirely. Despite Kyrgios’ assertion, 33 years old may not appear to most tennis fans these days. Indeed, several of the major players in men’s singles tennis have played into their late thirties, including world no. 2 Rafael Nadal. Novak Djokovic is 36 years old, while Roger Federer retired at the age of 41.
Speaking last year, he admitted that, earlier in his career, he had been “probably drinking 20 to 30 drinks every night,” going out with strangers and performing with a hangover. Recently, Nick Kyrgios made an appearance on the Netflix tennis documentary Break Point and was candid about his struggle with self-harm and suicidal thoughts.
Stating that ‘I was genuinely contemplating if I wanted to commit suicide,’ he said. ‘I lost at Wimbledon. I woke up and my dad was sitting on the bed, full-blown crying… I ended up in a psych ward in London [in 2019] to figure out my problems.’
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