Australian showman Nick Kyrgios conceded Wednesday his tennis career could be over, but said: “I’m OK with that”.
The talented but temperamental 28-year-old had knee surgery a year ago, then aborted plans to return at Wimbledon after tearing a ligament in his wrist.
He withdrew ahead of the Australian Open as he continues to struggle for fitness, but is at the Grand Slam in Melbourne as a commentator.
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He conducted the on-court interview after defending champion Novak Djokovic beat Taylor Fritz to reach the semi-finals on Tuesday.
Kyrgios said a career in the media was looking increasingly attractive.
“I sat down with my agent, Stuart Duguid, a couple of days ago to talk about my future,” he wrote in a column for The Age newspaper in Melbourne.
“The reality is, there is a part of me that knows my time in the sport may be over. And I’m OK with that. It’s a conversation that needed to be had. I’m at a crossroads in my career and have reached a point where life after tennis is a prospect that excites me.
“I could travel the world making really good money commentating on the sport… that’s a life people wish they had.”
Kyrgios, who reached a career-high 13 in the world in 2016 and has spoken previously of his struggles with his mental health, said last month he was “exhausted, tired”.
He did not rule out a return to the court but said that after so many surgeries “my body may never be the same again”.
Even if he does make a comeback, Kyrgios said playing at the Paris Olympics will not happen.
“One thing I will guarantee, though, is that if I am fit and ready to play, I won’t be making myself available for the Olympics,” he said.
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