Nick Kyrgios’ return to motion after seven months out with a knee harm has ended with a worrying defeat, the Wimbledon 2022 finalist scuffling with mobility and struggling ache.
The Australian was overwhelmed 7-5 6-3 by China’s Yibing Wu within the first spherical in Stuttgart, the match lasting simply 68 minutes.
While his serve was firing nicely, regardless of 4 double-faults, he appeared reluctant to chase balls across the courtroom and by the tip was visibly troubled by his knee.
During the changeover after the third recreation of the second set Kyrgios could possibly be overheard saying to his crew, “I feel my knee every point. I can’t walk without pain.” He then put his head in his fingers.
The world No.25 soldiered on, and didn’t name for the coach, however continued to look troubled and hobbled off after the match.
At sixty fourth on the planet Wu was not a simple draw for the eighth seed, but it surely was Wu’s first senior match on grass – together with his final aggressive outing on the floor being within the juniors in 2017.
Kyrgios started nicely exhibiting his trademark aptitude and serving powerfully. At 5-5 he compelled a break level however Wu saved with an ace. Kyrgios, who had started to look uncomfortable halfway by way of the set, appeared to make little effort to regain the benefit as Wu held.
Serving to remain within the set Kyrgios then aced twice, but in addition double-faulted twice as he was damaged.
The second set went with serve to 3-4 however Kyrgios, a two-time Stuttgart semi-finalist, was then damaged to like, misjudging the successful level which he let go just for it to land contained in the baseline. Wu served out to like to finish victory.
It was Kyrgios’ first tour stage singles match since October – although his final outing was a big-money exhibition look in Saudi Arabia in December. He then had surgical procedure on a meniscus tear on his left knee – “quite a serious surgery”, he stated earlier than this match.
With Wimbledon looming subsequent month Kyrgios, who reached the ultimate in 2022, was eager to get grasscourt follow, however his precedence now can be assessing his health.
Earlier in Stuttgart Australia’s Chris O’Connell beat Germany’s Daniel Altmaier 6-3 6-1 to e book a second spherical tie with Lorenzo Sonego. Qualifer Marton Fucsovics beat Denis Shapovalov 3-6 6-3 6-4 whereas there have been additionally wins for Gregoire Barrere, Aslan Karatsev, Tommy Paul and Jan-Lennard Struff.
At the ‘s-Hertogenbosch ATP 250 match within the Netherlands, Alexei Popyrin defeated Arthur Rinderknech 6-3 7-6 (8-6) and Jordan Thompson beat Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard 6-4 7-6 (7-3).
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
