(January 16, 2023) No. 19 seed Australian Nick Kyrgios was forced to withdraw from the Australian Open on Monday. He has a tear in his lateral meniscus and a cyst, which will require arthroscopic surgery.

The 2022 Wimbledon finalist announce his withdrawal at a news conference.

“I was very hard on myself after the U.S. Open and really tried to do the right things to arrive in the best possible form here, he said. “It’s bad timing, my home Slam, coming as one of the favorites, but I will be back to play at my best level.”

“I’m devastated obviously. It’s my home tournament and obviously winning the tournament in doubles and playing the best tennis of my life probably,” Kyrgios said.

“I’m just exhausted from everything. Obviously pretty brutal,” Kyrgios said of the decision to sit out. “One of the most important tournaments of my career. Hasn’t been easy at all.”

“All I can do is my best to come back … It’s brutal.”

He’s headed home to undergo knee surgery.

“We used the charity event against Novak to see if he could compete at the highest level. He didn’t pull up great. It’s been pretty interrupted and difficult lead in,” his physiotherapist Will Maher said. 

“In the last week, Nick has experienced discomfort in his knee. There’s a small tear in his lateral meniscus. It was worth persevering to see if he can get back on court. To Nick’s credit he did everything to get back on court.”

He will be replaced in the draw by lucky loser Denis Kudla.