“I really want to play Sinner” – Kyrgios

by Admin
December 16, 2024

Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios, who is set to return to the tour in the first week of the new season, has said he is very keen on getting a chance to play world No 1 Jannik Sinner at the Australian Open next month.

After having played just one official match in the past two seasons due to injuries, the former Wimbledon runner-up will return to the tour in Brisbane and then head to Melbourne for his home Grand Slam. During his time on the sidelines, Kyrgios has been very outspoken and critical of Sinner’s positive test, for which he was declared to be of no fault by the International Tennis Integrity Agency.

WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) has appealed that decision and Sinner could still face suspension or a ban from the tour if WADA wins its appeal at the CAS (Court of Arbitration for Sport). Until then, Kyrgios says he is keen to play the Italian at his home Slam and would turn every person in the crowd against Sinner.

If I played him in the Australian Open, I would just get every single person in the crowd to get on him.

“Let’s be honest, I just want to go out there and I really want to play Sinner,” Kyrgios said on the Nothing Major podcast, hosted by former American tennis players Jack Sock and John Isner.

“I thought about this (the game plan). If I played him in the Australian Open, I would just get every single person in the crowd to get on him. I would just turn it into an absolute riot. All respect would go out the window and I would just do anything to win.”

“I feel like why we love sport is because you have to have contrast in personalities. If I draw Sinner in the Australian Open third round, everyone will watch because it’s contrasting personalities. We don’t like each other, and I think it’s healthy in sport.”