Australian tennis player Nick Kyrgios has announced that he will not represent his country at the Paris Olympics in 2024 because of the mistreatment he received in the months leading up to Rio 2016. The Aussie also missed out on Tokyo 2020 due to restrictions imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Nick Kyrgios has confirmed that he will not represent Australia at Paris 2024. The Australian tennis player made the announcement in recent days, reports The Star. For him, the main reason is the mistreatment he suffered prior to his participation in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.
The former Wimbledon finalist and the 2022 Australian Open junior and doubles champion pointed out in a statement to the then-head of the mission at the time, Kitty Chiller, that his behaviour was being monitored. "However," he wrote in a column in the Fairfax newspapers, "one thing I can guarantee is that if I am fit and ready to play, I will not make myself available for the Olympics.
"The way I was treated by the Australian Olympic Committee and the former head of mission, Kitty Chiller, will never be forgotten," he insisted. He cannot forgive the fact that he was able to compete for medals at the time.
Now, eight years later, he has not forgotten that his exclusion from Rio 2016 was due to allegations of abnormal behaviour. Kyrgios has had a couple of years where he has not performed the way he was expected to when he first showed his talent as a young man.
Injuries to his knees and elbows joints have kept him out of competition since about this time last year. His pace is not right for the top level and there has been speculation about his possible retirement, although the player himself has indicated that he has two more seasons in mind.
During the Australian Open, he worked with the media, provided commentary and had the opportunity to interview Novak Djokovic on court. The ATP world number one and Kyrgios are known to be good friends and have shared some amusing moments on court.
He has a strong personality and a great talent that needs to be channeled, but he never achieved the success that was expected of him. He has had a somewhat mixed relationship with his country in recent years.
This is in contrast to when he turned professional and always wanted to represent Australia. He was not present at Tokyo 2020 because his physical condition was not ideal for an Olympic event. He also stated that he did not want to compete without an audience because of the restrictions.
A spokesman for the Australian Olympic Committee (COA) said after hearing the tennis player's comments that "every athlete has the right to make their own decisions about their sporting future and those decisions will be respected", according to The Star.
FAQs
Australian tennis player Nick Kyrgios has announced that he will not represent his country at the Paris Olympics in 2024 because of the mistreatment he received in the months leading up to Rio 2016. The Aussie also missed out on Tokyo 2020 due to restrictions imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Why isn't Nick Kyrgios playing in the Australian Open 2024? ›
Kyrgios told fans he had “had a really tough year with injury… that knee surgery and came back a little too soon (which) set me back a little bit, obviously had some wrist issues. So this is a very disappointing time for me.” He said the decision to withdraw from the 2024 Australian Open was “heartbreaking”.
Is Kyrgios playing in the French Open 2024? ›
Nick Kyrgios will NOT be playing at French Open, after his ongoing wrist injury. The Aussie bad boy was forced to pull out of the Australian Open earlier this year with the same problem.
Will Nick Kyrgios play Indian Wells in 2024? ›
Nick Kyrgios will be absent from the 2024 BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells as he's recovering from knee and wrist surgeries which halted his 2023 season. He missed the Sunshine Double last year as well.
Why did Nick Kyrgios quit? ›
I've got so much more to give but, for me, I don't feel like playing any more. “I'm exhausted, I'm tired. I have had three surgeries now that … I'm only 28 years old, I always wanted to have a family and not be in pain.
Will Rafael Nadal play the Australian Open in 2024? ›
An injury sustained at the Brisbane International will force Rafael Nadal to miss Australian Open 2024. The 22-time Grand Slam champion, who won the title at Melbourne Park in 2022, announced his withdrawal in a social media post on Sunday.
Is Andy Murray still in the Australian Open 2024? ›
Australian Open 2024 results: Andy Murray loses to Tomas Martin Etcheverry - BBC Sport.
What is Nick Kyrgios' ethnicity? ›
Early life and family. Kyrgios was born on 27 April 1995 in Canberra, Australia to a father of Greek origin, George, and a Malay mother, Norlaila ("Nill"). His father is a self-employed house painter, and his mother is a computer engineer.
What was Nick Kyrgios' highest ranking? ›
To date, Kyrgios has won seven ATP singles titles and his highest attained singles ranking is No. 13 which he reached on 24 October 2016.
What is up with Nick Kyrgios? ›
The former Wimbledon finalist has only played one match on the ATP Tour since October 2022, with serious injuries to his knee and wrist keeping him sidelined for over a year.
Rafael Nadal has withdrawn from the 2024 BNP Paribas Open. He is replaced in the draw by lucky loser Sumit Nagal. Rafael Nadal: “It is with great sadness that I have to withdraw from this amazing tournament. Everyone knows how much I love this place and how much I love to play here at Indian Wells.
Why did Nadal retire from Indian Wells? ›
"I have been working hard and practicing and you all know I took a test this weekend but I don't find myself ready to play at the highest level at such an important event. "It is not an easy decision, it's a tough one as a matter of fact but I can't lie to myself and lie to the thousands of fans.
Are Novak and Kyrgios friends? ›
Novak Djokovic is best mates with Nick Kyrgios because he knows he is no threat.
Who will replace Nick Kyrgios? ›
Fabian Marozsan replaced Nick Kyrgios in the main draw of Wimbledon on Monday after the Australian, last year's runner-up, pulled out of the tournament due to wrist injury. Hungary's Fabian Marozsan made it to the lucky loser draw as one of the four highest-ranked players who lost in the final round of qualifying.
What has happened to Kyrgios? ›
Australian tennis player Nick Kyrgios says he is “contemplating retirement” and is no longer interested in representing his country at the Olympics. Writing in the Nine newspapers, Kyrgios said on Wednesday that he was assessing his sporting career after knee and wrist injuries sidelined him for a year.
