Nick Kyrgios says he wants to "shut up" the doubters by winning a maiden Grand Slam title as he prepares for the Australian Open in January; Watch all the ATP and WTA action on Sky Sports Tennis and Sky Sports+ which is integrated into Sky TV, NOW and the Sky Sports app
Tuesday 15 October 2024 15:26, UK
Former Wimbledon finalist Nick Kyrgios says he wants to "shut up" the doubters by winning a maiden Grand Slam title, despite playing just one ATP Tour singles match in two years.
The 29-year-old has suffering knee, foot and wrist injuries, while his last competitive match was in Stuttgart in June 2023.
The Australian, who was beaten in the 2022 Wimbledon final by Novak Djokovic, has been easing himself back in to the sport with a few exhibition matches in recent months and is ready for his professional return.
Kyrgios told News Corp's Code Sports podcast he will return for the World Tennis League event in Abu Dhabi in December, before January's Australian Open.
"I am coming back because something is keeping me around the game," he said.
"I have beaten pretty much every person that has been put in front of me, made a final of a Grand Slam, won a doubles title in a Grand Slam, won multiple titles and made money.
"But I think the one thing that is now on my target is a Grand Slam. I think that will be the only thing that will shut people up at the end of the day.
"That'll be my deep motivation."
Kyrgios, who's last Grand Slam tournament match was a quarter-final loss to Karen Khachanov at the US Open in 2022, is famed for his on-court outbursts and meltdowns, but the Australian denied he was "a bad boy".
"I guess I was branded that just because I was a bit outside the circle of what a normal tennis player is," he added.
"I don't think I carry that perception with the Aussie public anymore. But at the start of my career, people thought I was like a murderer."
The event in Abu Dhabi will see Kyrgios prepare for the 2025 tennis season, with Australian Open boss Craig Tiley announcing the star will be playing at Melbourne Park.
"We would love to have Nick back playing in 2025. We believe he will be - he's out there practising and playing," Tiley said.
"I've been in touch with his team in the last couple of days, and he's fully expecting to play. We expect to see Nick on the court, playing.
"The confidence that we get about Nick playing is we know he's doing more than he's done before, we know that he wants to do it."
Kyrgios played mixed doubles with Naomi Osaka at the US Open Mixed Madness 2024 and then defeated Casper Ruud at the Ultimate Tennis Showdown in New York a few days later.
Laura Robson on Nick Kyrgios:
"I think it would be great for Nick to return to tennis, but I hope that he will be fit enough for long enough because he's got so many weapons in his game, but even Nick needs to play enough matches. It's not like he's going to bowl in and knock out someone top 10 in the first round, although you never know - he might!
"Just to see him play consistent tennis would be amazing.
"Even before he got injured, every now and then he would have these amazing patches, so I would love to see him back it up week in, week out.
"He's been fun to listen to in commentary but I'm sure he'll be far happier being on the court rather than working long TV hours all the time."
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