Emotional Kyrgios forced to quit as wrist pain takes hold

“It takes time to get back to that level that you once were, and you may not ever get there,” Kyrgios said.

“You know Thiem was a grand slam champion and wasn’t able to really scratch the surface coming back. “So, I understand the challenge that was in front of me. It’s almost a bit tougher now because I see the reality of you know how my wrist is.”

Kyrgios’ injury hell began when he withdrew from the 2023 Australian Open because of a parameniscal cyst that was growing in his left meniscus.

He underwent surgery and missed several months, but he planned to play at Wimbledon that year – and even conducted a pre-tournament media conference – before pulling out only hours later and revealing he had torn a ligament in his right wrist.

Another operation followed that sidelined Kyrgios for 18 months, and experts told him he may never play again.

However, Kyrgios made his much-anticipated return in late December in Brisbane, where he displayed encouraging form in a three-set defeat to French rising star Giovanni Mpetschi Perricard.

But he sought treatment on his arm during that match and was seen grabbing at his right biceps in his doubles match alongside Djokovic the next day.

Kyrgios then announced days later that he would not play his scheduled exhibition match against Djokovic at Melbourne Park and his Australian Open return was in some doubt because he had sustained a grade one abdominal strain.

He ended up playing in the tournament, but bowed out in straight sets to Brit Jacob Fearnley, after which he said: “Realistically, I can’t see myself playing a singles match here again.”

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Kyrgios, who has won seven ATP singles titles, did not play competitively between then and Indian Wells, with this latest setback another major blow to his bid to play regularly on tour again.

Three Australians – Rinky Hijikata and qualifiers Kim Birrell and Adam Walton – advanced to the second round at Indian Wells, but fellow qualifiers Maya Joint, Li Tu and Maddison Inglis lost.

Hijikata swept aside Alexander Shevchenko 6-1, 6-3, Walton beat Giulio Zeppieri 7-5, 6-1 and Birrell downed Viktorija Golubic 6-4, 6-4.

There was also another setback for veteran Ajla Tomljanovic, who retired with a right shoulder injury after losing the first set 6-4 to American Caty McNally.

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