Nick Kyrgios is targeting a deep run into the Australian Open (Image: Getty)
Nick Kyrgios has insisted he will not be “realistic” about his chances at the Australian Open as he claimed: “I have a chance against anyone”.
And the Aussie claimed tennis has been “mundane” without him for the last two years. The former Wimbledon finalist said he will “manage” his pre-tournament abdominal strain to play his home Grand Slam for the first time in three years.
The Aussie will play only his second singles match in 18 months against British No.3 Jacob Fearnley in the Melbourne first round. Kygrios claimed earlier this week that this could be his final Australian Open after suffering career-threatening wrist and knee injuries.
But in his pre-tournament press conference, the 29-year-old said: “I’ve beaten pretty much everyone that the sport has put in me before. I’m always going to back my ability.
“People are always going to say: ‘Be realistic, you’re not going to be the same’;. I unfortunately don’t have that mindset. I always have utmost confidence in my ability, if I’m playing my style of tennis, my unpredictability, I have a chance against anyone. That’s the mindset you need to have against the people.
“If I walked out on the court for the first time against Nadal, Djokovic, Federer, and was realistic, I probably wouldn’t have won. A kid from Canberra going out there, and beating those, you can’t be realistic.
“You have to think: ‘I think I’m the best tennis player in the world’. Is that realistic? Probably not. But I think that when I’m out there.
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“I think, yeah, if I play any of these top guys now, I have to have that mindset. Otherwise I’m going to be blown off the court. My confidence comes from my belief in my own ability.”
Asked what he will bring to the Australian Open, Kyrgios said: “We watch sport because we want personalities. It’s like drama, theatre. For me being personally back, I think it adds a bit of question marks to like what is going to happen today. I love that.
“Every time I step out on court, I don’t know if I’m going to be super controversial in a good or bad way. Throughout my career, it hasn’t always been good, but it’s added a lot of excitement to the game. I think it’s important.
“There’s so many good players on the tour now. I think there’s not so many contrasting personalities. I think it’s healthy that I’m back and I’m playing. Doesn’t really weigh on me, though.
“I’ve always been someone that’s played my brand of tennis, and I guess my personality, I haven’t changed since I was 10 years old. Anyone that knows me knows that I’ve been just how I am now. I think it’s good to be back. I think it’s important. I think the sport was getting a bit mundane.”
Kyrgios, who has played three ATP singles matches since October 2022, said he will overcome the “setback” of his abdominal strain.
“I think it’s just part of the game,” he said. “Niggles. I don’t think anyone really feels 100 per cent. Look, as long as it’s not something like my wrist again, I think I can manage it.”
Jacob Fearnley is Kyrgios’ first-round opponent (Image: Getty)
World No.83 Fearnley took a set off Novak Djokovic in the Wimbledon second round and will now face Kyrgios in his first overseas Grand Slam match. The Scot shot up from world No.646 to world No.99 last year after winning four Challenger events.
And Kyrgios said: “He’s been knocking on the door with some pretty good results the last six to nine months. He’s obviously very confident. He was actually in my hometown the other week playing a challenger there. I saw him there.
“He’s extremely confident. You got to be careful with these guys. I know players like me, we do have a target on our back. These guys go out there trying to play their best tennis. I’ve experienced that.
“When guys go out there confident on their debut, they tend to play a bit higher and better than their actual base level. I’m not underestimating anyone in this event.
“Me personally, I haven’t played many tennis matches. I’m still trying to find my feet as well. At the same time I’ll do my research and be well aware of what he does well.
“He’s obviously been in pretty good form, too. Pretty sure he made things pretty challenging for Novak at Wimbledon. Anyone who can do that on such a big stage has that X factor there.
“I know he’s being to be willing to embrace that challenge against me in Australia. It’s going to be good. As I said, there’s a lot of time between now and then. I’m going to just take it one step at a time.”
Kyrgios has remained in the news in recent months with his calls for world No.1 Jannik Sinner to be banned following his two positive drug tests last March.
WADA is appealing the an independent tribunal’s decision that the Italian was not at fault because he was contaminated during a massage. Sinner could still be suspended for up to two years if found guilty.
Asked if he worried about failing a test, Kyrgios said: “Look, I don’t want to speak too much about it. I think we’ve all been speaking about it. I feel like that’s the only thing tennis has been speaking about the last six months.
“But for me, to answer your question, like, I mean, I’ve been tested four times in the last couple months. I got tested in my home three days ago, so…
“For me, it hasn’t been a problem at all in my career. I’ve been on the tour now for 10-plus years. For me, I’m not worried at all ’cause I know that I’m really, really on top of what’s going on in my team. I’m very confident in myself that I’m not going to be accidentally putting something in my system.”