Kyrgios: “I can’t wait to be back”
UTS team and content crew filmed the seventh episode of their iconic video program ‘All on the Table’ on Friday at the legendary Mandarin Oriental Hotel, with Nick Kyrgios, Alexander Bublik and Patrick Mouratoglou.
Before moving to the restaurant The Aubrey to tape two hours of great tennis content and anecdotes, Kyrgios and Tennis Majors had a drink at the Wimbledon-customised carousel bar, where the Australian tennis star gave the latest news on his comeback.
He can’t wait to compete in front of wild crowds like ours at UTS New York in Forest Hills (22-23 August).
Nick Kyrgios, we’re happy to see you back in the tennis world here in London. What is the latest news regarding your comeback?
Nick Kyrgios: I’m back in London doing a lot of commentary, which is exciting. But I’m also doing training during these two weeks. I’m trying to have some hits with the players that are here to where my wrist is at.
It’s been 10 months since my surgery so I’ll try to work my way back onto court. I’ll be playing doubles in the next month. It will be exciting. I’ll probably start there and hopefully, if everything is OK, I’ll move to singles and then I’ll see how long I’ll hang around for.
How did you feel during this long period of absence from the Tour?
Nick Kyrgios: It was very hard, these last 10 months. The last couple of months have been hard seeing everyone playing, playing Grand Slams while I couldn’t, but at the same time, I’ve spent beautiful time with my family and my girlfriend. Being home is also amazing.
But I missed competing, I missed hearing the crowd, my fans. Even the people that hate me, I miss them, I miss them all. I can’t wait to be back.
When you’re back on Tour, what will be your goal?
Nick Kyrgios: My goal will be to get there, to compete, and have fun doing it. It’s been so long since I’ve played a match. I just want to go out there and remember the feelings that I used to feel. And just compete.
At the end of the day, I love playing tennis. I’ve missed beating people, I miss winning. And I was winning so much in 2022 before I had to stop. I barely lost. I want to get back out there and have that feeling and I feel that I want to give my fans one more year, or two more years, of the Nick Kyrgios experience.
You’ve just said two years?
Nick Kyrgios: Maybe, who knows? We’ll see.
Wimbledon is probably the pinnacle of your career. How does it feel to be there?
Nick Kyrgios: Wimbledon is for me the royalty of tennis. If you win Wimbledon, you’re immortal, you’re in the Hall of Fame, it’s the best thing you can do in tennis in my opinion. Every time I’m back here, I have great memories. I’ve made two quarter-finals here twice, a final once, I’ve had some amazing results. It’s the pinnacle.
You are not a Grand Slam winner because you lost this final in 2022 against Novak Djokovic. Recently, in a podcast with Patrick Mouratoglou, you mentioned that it was a deep regret. When you think about this match, what comes to you?
Nick Kyrgios: It makes me not like Novak. I wish that he just gave me the final. He could have given me one, he’s had so many. But no… More than everything it was an amazing experience to play in front of the royal family, a prestigious crowd. It was the greatest match of my career to experience a Grand Slam final on the best court in the world. It was special.
What can we wish you?
Nick Kyrgios: I just want to be healthy. In 2022, I was healthy, I was having fun, I was playing great tennis, but it’s part of the journey. It’s not always smooth. Athletes get injured and have to be back stronger. I want to come back, enjoy and play some good tennis.
We’ll see you play UTS at New York on August 22-23rd in New York. You have a special relationship with the city…
Nick Kyrgios: Nothing better than playing on Centre Court or anywhere in New York. I love the energy, the fans, the celebrities, the noise, it is really special. The night life in New York is fucking crazy. I love New York so much, I’ve had some amazing nights there.
I played some great tennis there, the last time I was in New York I made the quarter finals in the US Open, I played some amazing matches. Against Daniil Medvedev, whom I defeated in the fourth round, it was probably one of the best matches I’ve ever played. The energy was amazing. It was really good to share that with my team and yeah, a crazy atmosphere.