By Richard Pagliaro | Sunday, December 30, 2018
Nick Kyrgios plans to play a lighter schedule in 2019.
Photo credit: Brisbane International Facebook
Before striking the first shot of his title defense, Nick Kyrgios is already bugging in Brisbane.
The enigmatic Aussie revealed he was hospitalized over the Christmas holiday suffering a spider bite that led to a swollen foot.
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The eighth-seeded Kyrgios said he hasn't picked up a racquet in recent days while recovering and isn't quite sure what to expect when he steps on court to face Ryan Harrison in a first-round rematch of the 2018 Brisbane title match.
“It has definitely impacted my preparation," Kyrgios said of the spider bite. "I haven’t stepped on court for the last couple of days but it’s getting better. I'll probably be rusty to be honest. I wouldn’t be surprised if I go out there and hit 30 unforced errors."
Initially, Kyrgios said he didn't take the bite seriously, but woke up on Christmas with the swollen foot prompting his hospital visit where he has been receiving antibiotics.
The world No. 35 provided a simple mission statement for his Brisbane defense: No expectations.
“I haven’t really been on court that much," Kyrgios said. "I’m going to go out there today and maybe hit for 10, 15 minutes, see how the foot feels. I haven’t really been thinking about it too much."
When Kyrgios defeated Grigor Dimitrov and Harrison in succession to win Brisbane last January to capture his fourth career title and first on Australian soil, it was supposed to be a breakthrough tournament.
Yet after surging out to an 8-1 start to the season, Kyrgios struggled with a elbow and hip injuries as well as motivational issues posting a 16-12 record over the final nine months of his season.
Conceding he's "a little bit sick" of the sport by the end of the seaosn, Kyrgios says he's been trying to address his mental health and homesickness issues.
Consequently, he took a break from the game during the offseason while many rivals put in weeks of fitness and training.
“I play enough tennis during the year, I’m sick of bit by the time I get home," Kyrgios said. "So the last thing I want to do is go out there and hit more balls.”
Of course, we've seen Kyrgios make audacious statements designed to deflect pressure in the past. But Kyrgios claims this isn't hyperbole telling the media in Brisbane he doesn't plan to travel as much in 2019.
"I mean, I'm gonna play a very light schedule this year," Kyrgios said, adding sarcastically (we assume). "If I was to win the Aus Open, I probably wouldn't play the rest of the year."
Questions over fitness, commitment and desire have dogged Kyrgios in recent years.
One of the most explosive players in the game, Kyrgios cites Jo-Wilfried Tsonga as his tennis hero and his mother, Nil, has publicly said she's encouraged her son to behave more like Roger Federer on court.
John McEnroe, who has coached Kyrgios in Laver Cup, believes the man who knocked Rafael Nadal out of the 2014 Wimbledon would be best served emulating the 11-time Roland Garros champion's raw desire and dedication.
"As far as coaching, I don't believe in saying what exactly I would do without having spent some time," McEnroe told Tennis Now. "He's got some issues with that fear, like everyone, of failure, laying it all out there and coming up a little short.
"I think that's what makes Nadal so great. He's willing to compete and start every match, each match, like he hasn't played any before. That's what separates the guys. The guys that are willing to dig in, dig deeper, [Nick has] got to find a way to do that."