Nick Kyrgios stuns Australia with eleventh-hour withdrawal from United Cup - 'It's news to all of us'
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Updated 28/12/2022 at 11:34 GMT
Nick Kyrgios will miss the United Cup which is due to begin tomorrow, December 29. Kyrgios confirmed his withdrawal shortly before Wednesday's press conference. Team captain Samantha Stosur said she had no talks with Kyrgios prior to his decision and that she "literally just found out" minutes before talking to reporters. Stefanos Tsitsipas also waded in, saying he didn't "see it as a surprise".
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Nick Kyrgios will not compete at the United Cup team tennis event following his withdrawal from the competition just a day before the start.
The 27-year-old was due to face Great Britain’s Cameron Norrie in his first game on Thursday, but his absence was confirmed before Wednesday’s press conference.
Kyrios has been suffering with an ankle injury following an exhibition tournament in Dubai, and is reportedly focusing on being fit for the Australian Open, which begins on January 16.
This year’s Wimbledon finalist would have used this event - along with the Adelaide International in January - to prepare for the first Grand Slam of the calendar 2023, but this sudden U-turn has taken many by surprise.
Kyrgios was due to represent Australia in the competition, but his team-mates only knew of his absence just minutes before the press conference.
Team captain Samantha Stosur explained she had no conversation with Kyrgios prior to his decision, and refused to comment on whether he would be fit for the Australian Open in January.
“I’m not going to speak for Nick’s summer, we’ve got to leave that for him,” Stosur told reporters.
“He was here. We literally just found out 10 minutes ago, so it’s obviously news to all of us.
“But we just move forward now. We’re all happy to be here and keen to get out there.
“Now that’s out there, and we move forward with the placings of the team and do our best on the day. As far as the men’s side of this team goes, we’re in very capable hands still, so I’m not concerned that our chances have just diminished greatly or anything like that. We’re out here to do everything we can possible to try and win this competition.”
Kyrgios was due to represent his country for the first time since the now-defunct ATP Cup two years ago, after not taking part in the Davis Cup or the Tokyo Olympics since that time.
Stefanos Tsitsipas was quizzed on the Australian's decision to withdraw and gave a cheeky response to the reporters. There is certainly no love lost between the pair after their fiery encounter at Wimbledon this year.
He said: “I don’t see it as a surprise. I hope he enjoys his holidays.”
Alex de Minaur is now Australia’s No. 1 men’s player at the tournament following Kyrgios' withdrawal, as he prepares for showdowns with Norrie and Rafael Nadal.
“We’ve all just heard,” De Minaur added. “Ultimately we’re just going to get ready. We’ve got a great team and we’re all going to be out there doing our best. So ultimately the only thing that changes is match-ups and that’s about it.”
The United Cup gets underway on December 29, with the final taking place on January 8.
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