Tennis boss defends Kyrgios' late Cup withdrawal

1 year ago 83

Tennis Australia main enforcement Craig Tiley has defended Nick Kyrgios, saying his eleventh-hour withdrawal from the inaugural United Cup is impervious helium gave himself the champion accidental to play.

Kyrgios withdrew from the tourney connected Wednesday, conscionable minutes earlier helium and his teammates were owed to look media successful Sydney, citing an ankle wounded helium picked up during the World Tennis League successful Dubai past week.

Tiley said TA had spoken to Kyrgios earlier his withdrawal.

"We had conversations with Nick … helium is taking a precautionary determination arsenic indicated to america to support his ankle successful his mentation for the Australian Open," helium said connected TODAY.

"He gave himself, we believe, the champion imaginable accidental (by) maximising the clip up until erstwhile you were allowed to retreat from the event."

Kyrgios, 27, had days earlier spruiked the United Cup and said however excited helium was to beryllium competing successful what would beryllium his archetypal Australian quality since winning the Australian Open doubles last with Thanasi Kokkinakis successful January.

Watch Team Australia instrumentality connected the satellite successful the United Cup, unrecorded and exclusive on 9Now and Stan Sport.

"There's thing better, to play the Australian summertime is 1 of my favourite times of the year," Kyrgios said.

"Obviously being home, but being capable to play successful Sydney, successful beforehand of the location fans, my family, my friends, there's thing much that I love."

United Cup tourney manager Stephen Farrow said Kyrgios was inactive practicing successful Sydney connected Tuesday.

Tiley said Kyrgios was not successful uncertainty for the Australian Open, and his wouldn't beryllium the past withdrawal of the summer.

"Most athletes - this is the concern with Nick - volition springiness themselves the champion imaginable accidental to vie and volition marque a determination arsenic precocious arsenic they perchance can.

"It is much hard erstwhile you play successful the United Cup which is simply a squad contention truthful it does interaction others, but (withdrawals are) reasonably communal … erstwhile they are preparing for a large lawsuit and person rather a fewer lead-in events.

"We person Adelaide besides starting and Hobart coming up … determination volition beryllium astir apt different athletes successful a akin presumption Nick's been in.

"We are assured helium volition beryllium fine, and look guardant to playing the AO. He does bask playing the Australian Open, we person seen the vigor he's brought to the tribunal and I deliberation the large situation is going to beryllium deciding which tribunal to enactment him on."

The United Cup gets underway connected Thursday astatine midday (AEDT), erstwhile the USA instrumentality connected the Czech Republic successful Sydney, and Greece conflict Bulgaria successful Perth. Italy volition besides instrumentality connected Brazil successful Brisbane.

The Aussies get their run underway successful Sydney connected Thursday nighttime erstwhile they instrumentality connected Great Britain.

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