Grim reality facing Kyrgios after US Open exit

3 years ago 367

Nick Kyrgios should see overhauling his docket successful the last months of this year, successful an effort to halt his alarming descent down the satellite rankings, Todd Woodbridge says.

Kyrgios is facing the imaginable of falling retired of the apical 100 aft being bundled retired of the US Open successful the archetypal circular to proceed an indifferent 2021.

Kyrgios is projected to driblet from 86 to astatine slightest 94 successful the rankings erstwhile they are adjacent calculated, depending connected different US Open results.

The diminution comes astir 5 years to the time since helium reached a vocation precocious of No.13 successful the world.

His nonaccomplishment to Roberto Bautista Agut successful New York was his 4th consecutive defeat, aft going down to Cameron Norrie successful Atlanta, Mackenzie McDonald successful Washington and Reilly Opelka successful Toronto.

Across those 4 matches helium won lone a azygous set, with his US Open run ending successful a 6-0 wipeout against Bautista Agut.

"Nick has truly struggled conscionable being backmost retired connected tour. I don't cognize however he's going to find his mode retired of it," Woodbridge told Wide World of Sports.

"By each accounts helium was practising well, and hard. He was putting successful the effort connected the signifier court. But successful a way, we can't beryllium amazed by his results.

"You conscionable can't enactment distant from the circuit for truthful agelong and prime it up erstwhile you return. You person to get the miles successful the legs successful matches, that's what truly counts. It's astir being capable to execute nether pressure, erstwhile it needs to beryllium instinctive, not reactive.

"Even though helium has specified a great, dynamic game, you tin archer he's trying to react."

Kyrgios was absent from the circuit for 11 months aft the pandemic struck successful aboriginal 2020, not returning until the Australian summertime astatine the commencement of this year.

That was followed by different 4 months retired of the crippled betwixt the Australian Open and Wimbledon.

"He has to pugnacious it retired arsenic overmuch arsenic helium can, play immoderate tournaments to get a spot of a rotation going," Woodbridge explained.

"Once helium does, he'll play great, but it's hard to physique assurance erstwhile you aren't playing the matches, and helium hasn't played matches astatine a accordant level for 2 years."

Kyrgios usually lone plays a mates of tournaments aft the US Open. He's already confirmed he'll play Laver Cup aboriginal this month, but Woodbridge says the European indoor play should besides beryllium an option.

"He's the benignant of subordinate that tin bushed anybody. I fishy he'll astir apt decorativeness the twelvemonth shortly, but the world is helium astir apt needs to play the remainder of the year, due to the fact that he's had specified a agelong break," helium said.

"It would beryllium the archetypal clip he'd played the full indoor season, and I cognize from acquisition those European indoor tournaments are tough, you've truly got to grind it out.

"But if helium wants to get his crippled backmost connected way he's going to person to excavation deep."

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