“Slim to none” are the chances that Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios will be playing at the French Open, according to a hint he dropped on Thursday.
Last week the player pulled out of the upcoming US Open in New York due to the Coronavirus pandemic, with world number two Rafael Nadal following suit.
Kyrgios, is a big drawcard although he is only ranked 40. He said he wasn’t surprised at Nadal’s decision, as the clay court star was probably “eyeing the French Open” in late September.
“And if I was to play I’d probably definitely rather go to Europe (than America) at this time of year for sure with everything going on,” he said to Channel Nine television from his Canberra base in Australia.
But Kyrgios said that too was probably unlikely, creating serious doubt over his showing up at Roland Garros for the French Open.
“It’s a very slim chance I’ll play in Europe. Almost slim to none to be honest,” he said.
“I’m going to use this (time) to stay home, train, be with my family, be with my friends and I’m just going to act responsibly, and wait till I think there’s better circumstances to play.”
Its also unlikely that Kyrgios will play at next year’s Australian Open, scheduled for January, as the host city of Melbourne is fighting a major outbreak, bringing on a home lockdown and curfew.
“I’m not too sure the Australian Open will be going ahead as it did at the start of the year with the pandemic in Melbourne,” he said.
“It’s sad times in Melbourne so I’m not too sure if the Australian Open will go on.”
Kyrgios has been vocal in his criticism of some other players during the pandemic, waging a social media battle with top names who played at Novak Djokovic’s ill-fated Adria Tour exhibition, according to AFP.
Djokovic, Grigor Dimitrov, Borna Coric and Viktor Troicki all tested positive for the COVID-19 illness after the event, where social distancing was minimal and some players went nightclubbing.
Serbian world number one, Austrian Dominic Thiem, Coric and Alexander Zverev have all been in Kyrgios’s firing line and he lobbed another missile, without naming any players, on Thursday AFP said.
“Their behaviour throughout this time, I don’t think has been great at all. Especially coming from some of our leaders of the sport,” Kyrgios said.
“On top of our game they’re supposed to be setting an example for the rest of the tour, and them coming back at me with behaviour that I’ve done on court, I mean it just shows their intellectual level to be honest. “Putting lives at risk, it’s not really comparable.”
