Nick Kyrgios on opting for Diriyah Tennis Cup event over Davis Cup with Australia - 'what’s best for me'
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Published 08/12/2022 at 11:11 GMT
“I can travel around the world playing exhibitions around this time of year for six figures – you know, I feel I put myself in that position – so it’s an easy one for me." Nick Kyrgios has given his reasons for choosing to play in the lucrative Diriyah Tennis Cup event over representing his country, Australia, at this year's Davis Cup, where they made a run to the final.
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Nick Kyrgios has explained why he chose not to represent Australia at this year’s Davis Cup.
The 27-year-old missed out as the team finished runners-up to Canada at the final in Malaga, instead opting to play an exhibition tournament in Saudi Arabia, saying the decision was "an easy one".
“At this point of my career, I’ll always do what’s best for me,” he said.
“I can travel around the world playing exhibitions around this time of year for six figures – you know, I feel I put myself in that position – so it’s an easy one for me.
“I’ll easily take time with my family and my girlfriend and enjoy experiences around the world and earn that type of money rather than play a week away in something where I wouldn’t be able to be with my girlfriend and I’m not getting paid that well.
“[That] doesn’t really make sense to me and my progression as an athlete.”
Lleyton Hewitt had suggested he tried his best to get Kyrgios to feature for his country in Malaga, but the world No. 22 had already made himself unavailable.
Despite the lucrative financial incentives to play at the Diriyah Tennis Cup, which will be shown live on Eurosport and discovery+, Kyrgios insists that money is not his sole motivation.
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The 2022 Wimbledon finalist didn’t rule out competing for Australia again in the future, but hinted strongly that a lack of appreciation in the past was a factor in his decision to opt out on this occasion.
“Adding another week in Europe in Malaga wasn’t really what was on my wish list,” he added. “If it was in Australia, maybe it would have been a different story. But who knows?
“It’s not always easy for me to erase everything in Australia that’s said negatively about me or my family, you don’t need that – so it’s interesting that they really want me to play, but are always criticising.
“Look, I’ve always been one of the best players in the world – I’ve always held up my fair share of the bargain towards Australia.
"I feel like this is the first year I’ve earned respect when it should have been given when I first came on tour.
“I’ve represented them, put them on the map, and having produced one of the most successful male years in the last decade for Australia, and am only just getting embraced, I don’t think that’s my fault.”
In 2022, Kyrgios won the Australian Open doubles title alongside Thanasi Kokkinakis and reached the singles final at Wimbledon where he was beaten by Novak Djokovic.
Another doubles title with Kokkinakis followed in the summer, as well as a Washington Open singles title before a run to the quarter-finals of the US Open.
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