Lleyton Hewitt and Todd Woodbridge have weighed in on Nick Kyrgios‘ future in tennis, urging patience as the 29-year-old star continues his recovery from injury.
After a disappointing first-round loss to Britain’s Jacob Fearnley at the Australian Open, Kyrgios sparked retirement speculation, suggesting he might never return to singles at the tournament. The loss came after battling an abdominal injury leading up to the event, which raised concerns about his ability to remain competitive.
Australian tennis great Todd Woodbridge emphasised the need for Kyrgios to keep playing to build stamina for future Grand Slam campaigns. “He was never going to have a great tournament,” Woodbridge said on Channel 9.
“We want him to keep playing, build some stamina, some matches so he can get to Wimbledon, where he is a contender, and be fit, healthy, and back up all the tour.”
Kyrgios has been named in Hewitt’s Davis Cup squad for the upcoming tie against Sweden, marking his first inclusion in five years. However, Hewitt noted that Kyrgios’ primary focus for the moment is doubles. “At this stage it was more looking to play doubles,” Hewitt said.
“So that is the main focus for the Davis Cup at this stage but to have him back in the team, this is only the start of his comeback.”
Former player Jelena Dokic also urged patience, highlighting that Kyrgios has been absent from competitive tennis for almost two-and-a-half years, making his return a significant challenge.
“Let’s not forget, it hasn’t been a six-month break, it has been one match in almost two-and-a-half years. That’s massive,” Dokic said.
“The game has moved on, whereas he almost has to come from zero… He is going to potentially play just doubles, play smaller tournaments and put in a year or two of work and really be patient.”
Source: The Advertiser.
