Nick Kyrgios bombshell ahead of Australian Open

Nick Kyrgios has made the staggering revelation that he hopes he can win a grand slam in 2023 and retire from tennis. The controversial Aussie star had his best year to date in 2022, finishing with a 37-10 win-loss record on the ATP tour.

The only players with a higher win percentage in singles were Carlos Alcaraz, Rafa Nadal and Novak Djokovic. Kyrgios’ remarkable year was highlighted by a fairytale run to the Wimbledon final, where he eventually lost to Djokovic.

But the World No.22 is hoping to go one better in 2023 and is eyeing off a maiden grand slam singles title. Speaking at the World Tennis League exhibition event in Dubai, Kyrgios was asked on the broadcast about his plans for 2023.

“Hopefully I can win a slam and just retire,” he said with a laugh. And while he might have been joking, there’s definitely some truth to the admission.

Speaking in the aftermath of his loss to Djokovic in the Wimbledon final in July, Kyrgios expressed similar sentiments. The 27-year-old suggested he might have walked away from the sport if he had won the title.

“I think every tennis player that picks up a racquet one day wants to win Wimbledon. I think Wimbledon is the biggest title ever,” Kyrgios said at the time. “I even had a chat with my team, that I thought if I won Wimbledon, I’d really struggle after that for motivation. I really don’t know what more I would have to prove as a tennis player.”

With the Australian Open less than a month away, there is the very real possibility that it might be Kyrgios’ last. “Would I sign again? Honestly, I don’t know about it,” he said in Dubai.

“It took a lot of hard work this season, a lot of discipline and it seems the better you do, everyone wants a bit more of you and it becomes more stressful. But I had a lot of fun this season. And I’m finally just proud to say I made a slam final and started to meet some expectations. I had a lot of fun, I enjoyed it, definitely felt better off and on the court.”

Nick Kyrgios in action with Bianca Andreescu at the World Tennis League in Dubai. (Photo by Francois Nel/Getty Images)