Tennis player Nick Kyrgios was overcome with emotion after being forced to withdraw from the Indian Wells tournament due to injury.
The 29-year-old was playing against Botic van de Zandschulp and was down 7-6, 3-0 when he requested medical assistance.
Kyrgios became visibly distressed and was seen wiping away tears as he consulted with his trainer and physiotherapist.
Ultimately, citing wrist discomfort, Kyrgios retired from the match.
Later, he confessed, “This recovery process has been one of the most significant challenges of my life. While it might not seem severe to others, for my tennis career, it`s the biggest obstacle I`ve encountered.”
He added, “The effort required when I return home or during periods away from competition is immense and not enjoyable. I feel I`m doing everything possible to recover and compete again.”
“I suppose my emotional reaction at the end was due to the amount of effort I`ve invested while still experiencing considerable wrist discomfort. This tournament is also one of my favorites.”
When asked about his future in tennis, Kyrgios responded, “It feels like an experiment at this stage.”
“I was once told that I might not be able to play tennis again. However, I feel close to being back. I believe I can compete.”
He concluded, “I`m almost there, but if I can`t finish matches, it`s almost pointless.”
“I`m currently uncertain about my condition and how I`ll feel tomorrow.”
“I want to be out there competing. If I didn`t have the desire to play, I wouldn`t have gone through rehab and tried so hard to return to the court. I want to play.”
Kyrgios, who previously won the junior Wimbledon title in 2013 and reached the final in 2022, has now lost all three matches he has participated in this year.
He was defeated by Jacob Fearnley at the Australian Open and by Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard at the Brisbane International.
Van de Zandschulp is scheduled to play against Novak Djokovic in the next round of the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells on Saturday.
