I’m ex-Wimbledon finalist considering retiring at 28 – drinking and partying have left me with body of a 57-year-old
NICK KYRGIOS is considering retiring because he claims drinking and partying have aged his body by nearly 30 YEARS.
The former Wimbledon finalist is still only 28.
But asked whether he will play well into his 30s like Novak Djokovic, the Australian gave an emphatic and X-rated response, as he cited the gruelling schedule and dedication life as a professional tennis player demands.
Speaking at the Ultimate Tennis Showdown in Los Angeles, Kyrgios said: “No f***ing chance. No way.
“Bro, there’s no chance I’m playing until 33.
“Kyrgios playing until 33 is insane. I’m not playing until 33. Nah, I promise you, when I’m gone, you’ll never see me again.
“The schedule is out of control. I’m getting old, I’m getting old.
“Twenty-eight, yeah – but all the drinking and partying, I’m like 57.”
Kyrgios turned pro in 2013 and made a name for himself by stunning Rafael Nadal at Wimbledon the following year.
He has won 205 of his 319 career singles matches, reaching a high ranking of No13 and earning nearly £10million in prize money.
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But he missed out on securing the Wimbledon title last year, losing to Novak Djokovic in the final.
His 2023 has been dogged by injury, missing the Australian Open due to knee surgery and having to pull out on the eve of Wimbledon with a wrist problem.
It means the 2022 Australian Open doubles champion – who recently got a full Pokemon back tattoo – has played just one match this year, losing to Yibing Wu in Stuttgart in June.
Away from the court, the world No35 opened up on his struggles with drinking, drugs and depression – including self-harming and going out during Wimbledon.
Kyrgios explained in Netflix’s Break Point documentary: “2019 was the lowest point of my career.
“That pressure, having all eyes on you, the expectation, I couldn’t deal with it.
“I hated the kind of person I was. I was drinking, abusing drugs, lost my relationship with my family, pushed all my close friends away.
“You could tell I was hurting. My whole arm was covered in scars – that’s why I actually got my arm sleeve to cover it all.
“I was genuinely contemplating if I wanted to commit suicide.
“I lost at Wimbledon. I woke up and my dad was just sitting next to me on the bed and he was like full-blown crying.
“That was a big wake-up call for me. I was like, okay, I cannot keep doing this. I ended up in a psych ward in London to figure out my problems.”