Kyrgios 'unlikely' to make Roland-Garros return

1 year ago 122

Nick Kyrgios is improbable to marque his long-awaited instrumentality to the tribunal astatine Roland-Garros, arsenic helium continues to retrieve from genu surgery.

Kyrgios was a precocious withdrawal from the Australian Open, and hasn't played an authoritative tourney since past October.

He had country successful January, and said astatine the clip helium hoped to beryllium backmost connected tribunal by now.

"It's not looking likely," Kyrgios' cause Daniel Horsfall connected Tuesday told the Sydney Morning Herald astir his chances of a return.

Nick Kyrgios during a signifier league up of the Australian Open. (Getty)

"We are trying everything we tin to person Nick acceptable connected tribunal arsenic soon arsenic possible."

Meanwhile, Australia's singles stocks astatine Roland-Garros person received a boost with Kim Birrell and Thanasi Kokkinakis receiving main-draw wildcards.

It volition beryllium Birrell's main-draw debut astatine the claycourt expansive slam.

Birrell, ranked No.111 successful the world, has won 20 of her 32 matches this season, including a stunning upset of Kaia Kanepi astatine the Australian Open successful January.

As it stands, Birrell is 1 of conscionable 2 Aussie women locked into the main draw, alongside Ajla Tomljanovic.

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But Tomljanovic is besides successful uncertainty arsenic she continues to retrieve from her ain genu injury. She hasn't played this year.

"This volition beryllium my archetypal clip playing successful the main gully of a Grand Slam extracurricular of Australia, truthful I'm truly looking guardant to it and couldn't beryllium much grateful for the opportunity," Birrell said.

"I'm truthful excited to beryllium playing the main gully of Roland Garros this year. It's an honour to person the wildcard, and I can't hold to beryllium retired determination competing and playing my bosom retired connected 1 of the world's biggest stages.

"I'm arrogant of the hard enactment I've enactment successful and the advancement I've made, particularly implicit the past fewer months, and I'm feeling assured that I tin nutrient my champion tennis against the champion players successful the world."

Kokkinakis has a akin 2023 grounds to Birrell's, winning 23 from 34.

Thanasi Kokkinakis is the different Aussie granted a Roland-Garros wildcard. (Eddie Jim)

Alongside Kokkinakis successful the men's gully is Alex de Minaur, Nick Kyrgios, Jason Kubler, Alexei Popyrin, Christopher O'Connell, Jordan Thompson and Max Purcell.

"It feels large to beryllium backmost connected the clay, I consciousness similar I'm playing good astatine the moment, and person immoderate large memories playing astatine the French," Kokkinakis said.

"I truly admit getting the wildcard and can't hold to vie successful Paris again. I've had a fewer coagulated wins connected the clay precocious truthful I anticipation I tin physique connected that momentum and get immoderate bully results."

Ten much Aussies are entered successful qualifiers from May 22, with main-draw enactment opening May 28.

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