Nick Kyrgios wants to 'put on a show' at Sydney Classic as he prepares for Australian Open
- Sean Fisher
- 28 December 2021
The 26-year-old has been largely inactive for the past two years, but remains confident in his ability to compete in the Sydney Classic in January.
Nick Kyrgios reached the fourth round of the Australian Open back in 2020, before being knocked out by Rafael Nadal.
It ended up being the only Grand Slam tournament he'd take part in that year, missing out on both the French and US Open, while Wimbledon was not held due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
It left the Australian star as the world No.45 at the end of the year.
As it turned out, 2021 wasn't to be Kyrgios' year either. He took part in the Australian Open again, but was sent packing in the third round by Dominic Thiem despite being two sets up.
In April he then stated he would return to play in Mallorca and Stuttgart, but ended up withdrawing from both tournaments.
He retired in the third round of Wimbledon and lost in the opening round of the US Open, before he ended his season early with an ongoing knee injury.
However, with the Sydney Cup's January 10 start date fast approaching, Kyrgios is ready to return to action, and has stated he is there to win.
"When I'm out there I want to win, I want to put on a show. But at the same time I maybe don't carry that weight - if I lose a tennis match now it's just a tennis match in my eyes." said Kyrgios.
His preparation for the Australian Open starts at the Sydney Classic, where he has just been handed a wildcard.
Ahead of the tournament, the 26-year-old addressed his inactivity, but remained confident regarding his ability to compete with the world's best.
"No matter who I play, I still feel as though I can beat anyone. I've probably played the least amount of tennis out of anyone that's been on tour in the last two years - I still feel confident in my game."
Kyrgios' recent inactivity has seen him slip to No.93 in the world, but the Australian star has emphasised that he's not concerned about his ranking.
When asked about whether climbing the rankings is a priority of his, Kyrgios stated, "Not at all. I feel like I'm a player that brings a lot more than just tennis. I feel like I'm doing plenty off the court, and doing things I enjoy - using my platform to help others".
