Nick Kyrgios out of French Open because of foot hurt in robbery–agent

FILE PHOTO: Tennis – Australian Open – Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia – January 14, 2023 Australia’s Nick Kyrgios during a practice session REUTERS/Sandra Sanders/File Photo

Nick Kyrgios’ withdrawal from the French Open was because of a cut foot sustained when a man allegedly stole his car at gunpoint, his agent says, rather than knee surgery.

The French Tennis Federation said this week the Australian would miss Roland Garros due to surgery in January to repair a torn left meniscus.

But his agent told The Canberra Times the knee was “fine” and a nasty cut to the foot was why he would not be in Paris next week.

“The knee surgery went as well as it possibly could and his rehabilitation was fantastic and we were at the point where we were doing on-court loading and management,” Daniel Horsfall told the newspaper.

“We needed to be at a point that he could comfortably play five sets. Right when we were getting stuck into the loading period, the (alleged) armed robbery happened at his house.

“During the ordeal he cut his foot quite badly. It’s not healing correctly and he can’t put in the work on court, so he’s been off court for almost two weeks now.”

Court documents cited by national broadcaster ABC earlier this month alleged that a man pointed a gun at Kyrgios’s mother before stealing his lime-green Tesla near his home in Canberra.

The 28-year-old Kyrgios, who was nearby, called police and using an app on his phone helped them track his car’s location. It is not clear how he cut his foot.

The 2022 Wimbledon finalist, ranked 26 in the world, has not played the French Open since a second-round exit in 2017.

He has never flourished on the Roland-Garros clay, reaching the third round on just two of the five times he has played there.

Kyrgios has had a troubled year, pleading guilty in February to assaulting a former girlfriend. He avoided a conviction for what the magistrate called a “single act of stupidity”.

His grandmother died this week.

“Seems like I can’t catch a break right now,” Kyrgios said on social media, accompanied by photos of his late “Yiayia” — the Greek word for grandmother.

“RIP Yiayia, the best we could ask for. Go enjoy your time with Papou now.”