‘Knee cooked': Kyrgios blow before major return
The former Wimbledon finalist has entered the reimagined doubles at next month's US Open where he'll team up with Naomi Osaka should his progression continue uninterrupted by any more injuries.
It was only the sixth match of the year for Kyrgios, with the rabid basketball fan playing in front of NBA star Kevin Durant, having endured a horror run of injuries that included significant wrist surgery in 2023.
Kyrgios, 30, tried to play doubles at the Australian Open in January but was forced to retire in his opening match and has been sporadic in his playing ever since.
But he's part of the crew of stars set to take part in the US Open doubles, with his protected ranking of 21 enough to get him on the official entry list for the final grand slam tournament of the year in New York.
There won't, however, be any singles in his immediate future as he continues to battle his body.
'I wanted to play singles, but six weeks ago I had a bit of a niggle with my knee,' he said.
'So it's just going to take a bit more time.'
Kyrgios teamed up with Frenchman Gael Monfils at the DC Open but went down in two sets to third seeds Edouard Roger-Vasselin and Hugo Nys after which he gave an update on his knee.
'Knee cooked but fans still f**ked with us,' he posted on Instagram.
Fellow Aussie Alex de Minaur has entered the singles at the DC Open looking to put his Wimbledon disappointment behind him, start his US Open preparations and rebuild his own ranking having fallen to 13.
'Going into the tail end of the year, I'm excited for the opportunity and hoping I can play good tennis and take care of my chances,' he told ATP.com.
'I've got the experience now. I've got the knowledge, the physicality side of things. Everything is just there for me to go out and perform.
'I can really have a swing these next three or four years and really show that I'm at my peak and break through some barriers.
'I'm ready to go deep into tournaments. It's just up to myself to put those results right.'
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