In what seems like a never-ending saga of injury setbacks, Nick Kyrgios, the Australian tennis bad boy, is back on the sidelines, having withdrawn from yet another Grand Slam. The United States Tennis Association (USTA) confirmed the news on August 10 that Kyrgios will be unavailable this year in the US Open.

Earlier this year, Kyrgios went under the knife for his left knee, pulling out of French Open. When he finally returned in June, he fell against China’s Wu Yibing at the Stuttgart Open, which was a road to the Wimbledon Championships. Later, he pulled out of Wimbledon as well.

Injury woes plague Kyrgios once again

This year has been quite a struggle for Nick Kyrgios. He started with knee surgery, and when he tried to come back to the game in June, he lost in the first round of the Stuttgart Open to a player from China named Wu Yibing. Before that, he couldn’t play in the French Open because he hurt his foot during a car theft incident. And now, he’s had to pull out of Wimbledon because of a wrist problem. It’s especially disappointing at Wimbledon because he did really well there last year, even reaching the final.

The consequences of Kyrgios’ U.S. Open withdrawal extend beyond the court, as he faces a significant drop in the ATP rankings. Currently positioned at world number 92, this withdrawal is expected to push him down to approximately the 470th rank, holding a mere 90 points. These points were garnered from his 2022 Tokyo quarterfinal appearance, a match in which he was unable to participate due to unforeseen circumstances.

Kyrgios, not too thrilled about the whole ranking update, lashed out on Twitter, “Yes, that’s what happens when you have injuries. I also have a protected ranking of 21 and will get wildcards wherever I want. GREAT UPDATE!”

This protected ranking provides him with some assurance and flexibility as he navigates the challenging path back to full fitness.

Kyrgios’ road to recovery and future comeback

Kyrgios announced his withdrawal in an Instagram post. A disheartened Kyrgios expressed, “Heartbroken about the U.S. Open. Will be back … My wrist is not ready yet to compete.” This year, the enigmatic player has only participated in a single ATP match, in stark contrast to his remarkable 2022 campaign, where he reached the Wimbledon final, clinched the Washington title, and made it to the quarter-finals at Flushing Meadows.

The million-dollar question remains: When is Kyrgios going to hit the courts again? While we don’t have the answer to that, we now do know that he’s got a special protected ranking tucked away at number 21, which means he can snag wildcards for tournaments whenever he feels like it, so there’s always hope.

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While the challenges he faces are undeniably frustrating, the tennis community eagerly awaits the return of his charismatic presence on the court. As Kyrgios works to recover and regain his competitive form, his tenacity and passion for the sport remain astute.

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