Nick Kyrgios won’t have to wait long to prove his Australian Open title bona fides.
Australia’s No.1 tennis player and biggest drawcard should have few problems dispatching Roman Safiullin in the first round but any gap in his match fitness, or lingering ankle issues, will be seriously tested beyond that.
Nick Kyrgios will again be the centre of attention in the Australian Open next week.Credit:Getty Images
A quarter-final showdown with Novak Djokovic is already whetting the appetite, but Kyrgios will have to negotiate a series of genuine challengers to book that date with the greatest player of all-time.
Kyrgios boldly declared on Thursday that he finally believes, for the first time, he can win a grand slam singles title and his exhilarating run to last year’s Wimbledon final was all the proof he or anyone else needed.
The 27-year-old Canberran-turned-Sydneysider was a source of frustration at times for his self-confessed lack of dedication that led to him not realising his potential, but he made serious inroads with both in 2022.
Kyrgios was widely considered the US Open title favourite when he roared into the quarter-finals in New York in September, only to surprisingly lose to Russia’s Karen Khachanov – but it was another big showing on one of tennis’ four grand stages.
Kyrgios during practice at Melbourne Park on Thursday.Credit:Getty Images
Here, at home, is where he has the opportunity to change his narrative forever. As Kyrgios said himself on Thursday: “Australia loves to get behind a winner.”
He withdrew from the United Cup – briefly causing a stir when co-captain Lleyton Hewitt questioned how well he communicated his situation – then the Adelaide International Two with his ankle injury, so whether that leaves him vulnerable remains to be seen.
But either way, a likely second-round date with Ugo Humbert is where Kyrgios’ title tilt goes to another level.
Kyrgios won captivating five-set matches over Humbert at the 2021 Australian Open and Wimbledon, so he knows the Frenchman can be tricky, although he has slumped from a career-high No.25 to 108 (previously blaming his form on COVID-19).
NICK KYRGIOS’ AUSTRALIAN OPEN PATH
(Some of the opponents who may stand in his way)
Round 1: Roman Safiullin
Round 2: Richard Gasquet or Ugo Humbert
Round 3: Holger Rune
Round 4: Andrey Rublev
Quarter-finals: Novak Djokovic, Alex De Minaur
Semi-finals: Casper Ruud, Taylor Fritz
Final: Rafael Nadal, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Felix Auger-Aliassime, Daniil Medvedev
It doesn’t get any easier after that, with 19-year-old Dane Holger Rune, fresh from making his top-10 debut and having upset Djokovic in last year’s Paris Masters final, his projected round-of-32 opponent.
Rune is not only supremely talented and drew rich praise from Djokovic, but he doesn’t back down from anyone, so don’t rule out fireworks. Fireworks in a Kyrgios match? Who woulda thought?
Russian fifth seed Andrey Rublev, who lost a three-setter to Thanasi Kokkinakis in Adelaide on Wednesday night, is Kyrgios’ likeliest round-of-16 opponent. Kyrgios thumped Rublev for the loss of only three games in Miami last year.
If the script goes according to plan, Djokovic is next. Kyrgios matches up as well with the nine-time Australian Open champion as anyone – and won their first two contests, before the Serb bounced back from dropping the first set to edge him out in last year’s Wimbledon final.
They are the best of friends these days, two years after Kyrgios peppered Djokovic with insults, calling him a “tool” and a “very strange cat” for his behaviour early in the COVID-19 pandemic.
He was the former world No.1’s most vocal advocate during last year’s deportation drama.
Kyrgios and Djokovic will meet on Friday night in so-called ‘perfect practice’ on Rod Laver Arena, in what will be equal doses entertaining and informative, more so on Kyrgios’ health than whether he can topple Djokovic.
No Australian man has made the final at his home grand slam since Lleyton Hewitt lost the 2005 decider to Russia’s Marat Safin.
But in Kyrgios, Australia has a genuine contender to end another drought, 12 months after Ash Barty’s popular triumph. Love him or hate him, it promises to be a brilliant ride. Let the games begin.
NIGHTMARE DRAW FOR DE MINAUR
Alex de Minaur will have to maintain his new giant-killing ways if he is to navigate his way through an Australian Open draw full of potholes.
Alex de Minaur.Credit:Getty Images
The world No.24 finally defeated his first top-five player at his 19th attempt in November, upsetting Daniil Medvedev, before adding Rafael Nadal’s scalp at the United Cup last week.
But after a cosy start against qualifier Yu Hsiou Hsu, de Minaur must face either John Isner (0-2 head-to-head) or Adrian Mannarino (2-1), tough Spaniard Pablo Carreno Busta (0-2) then almost certainly Djokovic for the first time.
Ouch. De Minaur’s prize if he can make it through is a potential all-Australian quarter-final with Kyrgios. His only last-eight appearance at grand slam level to date was the COVID-19-weakened 2020 US Open.
ALEX DE MINAUR’S AUSTRALIAN OPEN PATH
(Some of the opponents who may stand in his way)
Round 1: qualifier Yu Hsiou Hsu
Round 2: John Isner or Adrian Mannarino
Round 3: Pablo Carreno Busta
Round 4: Novak Djokovic
Quarter-finals: Nick Kyrgios, Andrey Rublev, Holger Rune
Semi-finals: Casper Ruud, Taylor Fritz
Final: Rafael Nadal, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Felix Auger-Aliassime, Daniil Medvedev
TOMLJANOVIC SET FOR BIG TEST
Ajla Tomljanovic has the unenviable task of trying to keep the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Trophy in the country’s keeping after Ash Barty’s heroics last year.
Ajla Tomljanovic.Credit:AP
No other Australian woman received direct entry to the Australian Open, with Daria Saville recovering from another bout of ACL surgery and the emerging crop yet to make a big breakthrough.
Tomljanovic was once an under-performer in grand slams but boasts three quarter-finals from her last six majors, so she is no longer deserving of that reputation.
Her first opponent is 2021 French Open semi-finalist Nadia Podoroska, but it becomes incredibly tough after that in a draw that has done her few favours. An untimely knee injury caused Tomljanovic to withdraw from the United Cup and her ranking slipped outside seeded territory, which would have made life easier.
AJLA TOMLJANOVIC’S AUSTRALIAN OPEN PATH
(Some of the opponents who may stand in her way)
Round 1: Nadia Podoroska
Round 2: Victoria Azarenka or Sofia Kenin
Round 3: Madison Keys
Round 4: Maria Sakkari, Jil Teichmann
Quarter-finals: Jessica Pegula, Petra Kvitova
Semi-finals: Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff, Danielle Collins
Final: Ons Jabeur, Caroline Garcia, Aryna Sabalenka
One of past Australian Open champions Victoria Azarenka or Sofia Kenin will be up next, while Madison Keys (third round), Maria Sakkari (fourth round), Jessica Pegula (quarter-finals) and Iga Swiatek (semi-finals) are Tomljanovic’s potential rivals.
If she makes it that far, Ons Jabeur, Caroline Garcia or Aryna Sabalenka are her likeliest final opponents.
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