Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios has fired back at a fan who seemingly mocked his recent victory at the Miami Masters, a win that marked his first in several years. Kyrgios, who has been absent from the professional tennis scene due to injuries, has demanded a higher level of respect for his comeback efforts.
The tennis pro made a triumphant return on Wednesday, securing a win against Mackenzie McDonald in a gripping three-set match. The match ended with a score of 3-6 6-3 6-4, signifying Kyrgios’s comeback after a two-year hiatus. The former world No. 13, now aged 29, hadn’t tasted victory at the main level since defeating Daniil Medvedev at the 2022 US Open round-of-16.
Kyrgios’s journey back to the court has been fraught with challenges, including injuries that necessitated surgical intervention. Following his quarterfinal appearance at the 2022 US Open, he had to undergo surgery on his knee and wrist. His subsequent performances at Brisbane and the Australian Open were marred by his health issues, leading to first-round losses. His wrist injury even forced him to bow out of his first-round match at Indian Wells.
However, despite these hardships, Kyrgios’s determination to return to form was evident and unwavering. In response to a fan’s post that seemed to poke fun at his recent win, stating, “Nick Kyrgios wins a pro tennis match for the first time in 4 years (laughing emoji),” Kyrgios corrected the timeline and emphasized his challenging journey back to the court.
The post did not go unnoticed by Kyrgios, who promptly responded, “Was 2 years but that’s aight – appreciate the support. Career ending wrist surgery and came back? Thanks lol – I used to win a fair bit or did you guys forget.”
Reflecting on his comeback journey after his win in Miami, Kyrgios admitted to having serious doubts about his future in tennis. “I thought I’d never play tennis again, to be brutally honest with you. That was going that way,” confessed the seven-time ATP champion.
In the next round of the Miami Masters, Kyrgios will face off against Karen Khachanov. Interestingly, it was the Russian player who ended Kyrgios’s run at the 2022 US Open, adding an extra layer of intrigue to the upcoming match.
