One year after his memorable dash to the Wimbledon final, Nick Kyrgios’ 2023 run ended before it started as he withdrew from the prestigious tournament on Sunday night due to a wrist injury.
Kyrgios said he learned that there is a torn ligament in the wrist.
“I’m really sad to say that I have to withdraw from Wimbledon this year,” Kyrgios said in a statement posted to social media accounts. “During my comeback, I experienced some pain in my wrist during Mallorca (last week). As a precaution I had it scanned and it came back showing a torn ligament in my wrist.
“I tried everything to be able to play and I am disappointed to say that I just didn’t have enough time to manage it before Wimbledon.”
The decision to pull out came just hours after Kyrgios held a press conference at the All England Club in London.
Part of the questioning had to do with the knee injury that has limited just him to just one singles match over the past ninth months. Kyrgios underwent surgery to repair a small meniscus tear in his left knee in January.
Kyrgios didn’t mention the wrist issue while fielding 11 questions. He was slated to meet Belgium’s David Goffin in a first-round match on Monday.
Kyrgios, 28, lost in four sets to Novak Djokovic in last year’s Wimbledon final, his first career Grand Slam title match.
But this year has been dreadful for Kyrgios.
Kyrgios pulled out of the Australian Open in his homeland in January due to the knee injury. After the surgery, the recovery wasn’t swift or easy.
When he attempted to return in Stuttgart last month, he lost in the opening round to China’s Wu Yibing. He later withdrew from two more Wimbledon tune-up events.
Earlier Sunday, Kyrgios admitted he wasn’t in top form.
“I’m focusing on at the moment, not so much what I did last year or what people want me to achieve this year,” Kyrgios said. “I’m just going to take it day by day. I think that’s the only appropriate way to take it at the moment.”
Suddenly, there is no opportunity for Kyrgios to make another Wimbledon run.
–Field Level Media