Nick Kyrgios says his recent travels on the Tour have left him feeling exhausted after beating close friend Thanasi Kokkinakis in the first round of the US Open.
The Wimbledon runner-up held his nerve to prevail 6-3, 6-4, 7-6(4), over Kokkinakis who he won the Australian Open doubles title with in January. Kyrgios’ nighttime encounter lasted just over two hours with him producing a total of 13 aces alongside 42 winners. Despite the two players being of similar age and growing up together on the junior circuit, it was the first time they have faced each other on the ATP Tour.
“This was probably one of the most uncomfortable matches I’ve played in my career,” Kyrgios said afterwards. “I feel like we both had a game plan. We know our games so well. From the get-go, I was trying to block out his body and just play the tennis ball. I was really trying not to look at him at all. I felt like that kind of helped me.”
“In the first couple sets I played incredible from the back of the court. I had a real clear game plan of trying to move him as much as I could, not let him dictate. When the ball is on his racquet, he’s dictating play, he’s probably one of the best players in the world.”
Paying tribute to his compatriot, Kyrgios describes Kokkinakis as one of the few players he has a close bond with. Saying he will be among ‘two or three’ players he will keep in contact with until he dies. Many tennis fans were relishing the all-Australian clash at the Arthur Ashe stadium but the world No.26 was not one of them.
“I was telling some people I feel like he had a really good opportunity, the way his body is, the way he’s holding up physically, his belief to play match after match. I thought he had an opportunity to go far in the draw,” he said of Kokkinakis.
“When I saw our names (in the draw), it’s unfortunate.”
Kyrgios is being tipped by some as an outside contender for the US Open title given his recent form. After reaching his maiden major final at Wimbledon, he won his first title since 2019 at the Citi Open in Washington. He then defeated world No.1, Daniil Medvedev, en route to the quarter-final of the Canadian Masters before losing in the second round of Cincinnati.
Although there are concerns over how much longer Kyrgios can keep pushing himself after he openly admitted he is exhausted. Alluding to the demanding travel schedule tennis players have, especially those from his country. Australia only holds ATP and WTA tournaments in January.
“I’m exhausted. 99% of the tennis tour doesn’t understand what it’s like to go on the road this long. I’m not even doing it as long as other Australians. There are other Australians that have been on the road for five or six months. I’m closing in on four months. It’s brutal.” He said.
“There are babies being born in my family, mum is sick, dad is not well. I have to continue to travel. Because we’re from Australia, we don’t have any choice. Obviously I’m exhausted. But I have no choice but to wake up and try and put in my best performance. I’m not complaining. I’m just saying, like, it’s hard. It is hard because people don’t understand everything that I’ve got going on at the moment.”
Kyrgios will play France’s Benjamin Bonzi in the second round.
