Nick Kyrgios’s hopes of ending his country’s 47-year wait for a homegrown men’s champion at the Australian Open were shattered on the opening day when he pulled out of the tournament with a knee injury on Monday.
The 27-year-old was, in his opinion at least, going into the tournament as one of the favourites after reaching the Wimbledon final and the quarter-finals of the U.S. Open last year.
Trainer Will Maher said Kyrgios had been troubled by a small tear in the meniscus of the knee for a couple of weeks and that withdrawing from the tournament was the sensible decision.
Kyrgios said he had given himself every chance of competing but that a hit with doubles partner Thanasi Kokkinakis on Monday morning convinced him he had to pull out.
The withdrawal also means Kyrgios and Kokkinakis – dubbed the ‘Special Ks’ – will not be able to defend the men’s doubles title they won at Melbourne Park last year.