Nick Kyrgios in tears as Indian Wells injury stops | Sports News

Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios was in disbelief after being forced to retire within just one-and-a-half sets at Indian Wells due to suffering a wrist injury. Kyrgios was already a set and a break-down against Van de Zandschulp in Thursday’s first-round match, and his opponent will now face Novak Djokovic in the second round.

Kyrgios was seen with his head in his hands and was wiping away tears after realizing he was no longer fit to continue, a huge blow for the 29-year-old. Kyrgios has suffered major injury problems since reaching the final of Wimbledon in 2022, with knee and wrist issues keeping him off the court.

The Australian didn’t play a single match in 2023, and only returned for one event in 2024 when beating Casper Ruud in a UTS match. Kyrgios was set for his big return to the court in 2025, but felt pain ahead of facing Van de Zandschulp and the problem escalated throughout the contest.

Kyrgios has battled for consistency throughout his career, but his raw talent is undeniable. The Australian loosely contemplated quitting in the past, but cruelly can’t seem to stay healthy after rediscovering his love for the game.

Ahead of facing Van de Zandschulp, Kyrgios stopped training after feeling a sharp pain in his wrist, and fully rested to boost his chances of lasting the match. “Look I was feeling great, I actually just practiced for an hour and second to last point I actually felt my wrist a little bit,” said Kyrgios before Thursday’s clash.

“I mean it seems to be that point where I can’t really catch a break at the moment with my body, but these are just things you have to navigate. You know we’re all navigating different things in our lives and these are just the challenges in front of me, so I’ll do everything I can to be ready.”

Kyrgios’ year got off to an exciting start after finally returning to his home major, the Australian Open, though it didn’t last long. Kyrgios lost to British tennis player Jacob Fearnley in straight sets with a score of 7-6, 6-3, 7-6, prematurely ending his homecoming.

“I went out there, I would say 65% of my capacity,” Kyrgios said after the first-round exit. “For [the fans] to really see me fighting and still giving me that energy, it meant a lot, because I feel like I’ve given my life to tennis and I’ve tried to give them a show every time I go out there.

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“Realistically, I can’t see myself playing a singles match here again. My journey is not over, but I’ve had an amazing journey. My career has been amazing. I continue to try and have fun, just be real, and enjoy the ride. But I think it would be selfish for me to say that I want more. I’ve had a lot of success. More than most athletes would have.”

During his injury layoff between 2023-24, Kyrgios began working as an on-court interviewer and commentator. His first experience working in the media went down well with fans, but the Australian admitted that he now can’t stop commentating on his own training sessions.

“I was practicing with a guy from Japan, not sure how to pronounce his last name, and I was just commentating out loud,” Kyrgios told Tennis TV. “I didn’t realize that I was commentating, and then he was just laughing, and I was like ‘I got a bad habit of actually commentating whilst I’m playing now, it’s actually quite funny.”