Tennis player Nick Kyrgios was in tears after being forced to withdraw from his match at Indian Wells due to an injury.
The 29-year-old was losing to Botic van de Zandschulp 7-6, 3-0 when he requested medical attention.
Kyrgios became emotional, wiping away tears as he consulted with his trainer and physiotherapist.
Due to wrist pain, Kyrgios decided to retire from the match.
Later, he confessed, “This recovery process has been one of the toughest challenges in my life. While it might not seem severe to others, for my tennis career, it’s the biggest hurdle I’ve faced.”
He added, “The effort required when I’m at home or not playing is immense and not enjoyable. I feel like I’m doing everything I can to return to playing.”
“I guess it’s the amount of effort I’m putting in while still experiencing wrist discomfort. That’s why I became emotional at the end, because this tournament is one of my favorites.”
When asked about his future in tennis, Kyrgios responded, “It feels like an experiment at this point.”
“I was told there was a chance I might not play tennis again. However, I feel close to being back. I believe I can compete.”
“I’m almost there, but if I can’t finish matches, it doesn’t really matter.”
“I’m currently uncertain. I’m unsure how I’ll feel even tomorrow.”
“I want to be out there and compete. If I didn’t have the desire to play, I wouldn’t go through rehab and try to get back on the court. I want to play.”
Kyrgios, who won the junior Wimbledon title in 2013 and reached the final in 2022, has now lost all three matches he has played this year.
He previously lost to Jacob Fearnley at the Australian Open and to Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard at the Brisbane International.
Van de Zandschulp is scheduled to play against Novak Djokovic in the next round of the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells on Saturday.
ऋतिका चंद्रमोहन