Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios has revealed he’ll be playing at the 2023 French Open for the first time in half a decade.
Kyrgios has noticeably given the French Open a miss in recent years due to his dislike of playing on clay courts.
But it seems that love can make anyone change their mind.
The outspoken player has now expressed his desire to go to the French Open next year, with his girlfriend Costeen Hatzi wanting to visit the City of Love.
Quite the romantic, Nick.
He told tennis reporter Blair Henley: “Next year I am going to go to Paris, I’m announcing that now. I’m going to the French Open. Breaking news.
“Yeah, I haven’t played that in four years so yeah I’ll be back next year.
“My girlfriend just wants to see Paris. So yeah. I mean I’ll just play the French Open as well."
Kyrgios had also ruled out playing the French Open or any other clay tournament this year, playing his first and last tournament on the surface in Houston this week.
When asked why he and Hatzi wouldn’t be heading to Paris this year, he said: “We already decided to go home and have that time. We’re just working towards that.
“Time at home’s crucial because the next trip is for three months and the time at home is so valuable.
“Especially being from Australia, you get homesick very quickly and we’re both very family-orientated, so we have to make sure that season remains tight.”
The admission comes just days after the tennis star was fined for his outburst at the Miami Open.
The Australian player had been handed multiple fines by the ATP, totalling AU$47,000, following his row with umpire Carlos Bernardes.
Nick Kyrgios an ATM for the ATP
— Christopher Clarey 🇺🇸 🇫🇷 🇪🇸 (@christophclarey) March 31, 2022
$25,000 in fines in Indian Wells
$35,000 more at Miami Open
But fines are not the real deterrent. Have to think Kyrgios is risking major-offense investigation at this point based on pattern of misbehavior. Could lead to suspension by ATP#getty pic.twitter.com/7LwWim5dFo
He was handed four separate penalties, an AU$27,000 fine for verbal abuse, AU$7,000 for obscenity, and two fines for unsportsmanlike conduct, with each offence costing the Aussie AU$6,600.
It was the second outburst that had cost him a serious amount of money in the space of a month.
He was also fined AU$33,000 at the Indian Wells tournament for racket abuse and audible obscenity.
Sounds like Nick is in serious need of a break.
Featured Image Credit: Sipa US / Alamy. MediaPunch Inc / Alamy.
Topics: Nick Kyrgios, Tennis, Australia
.png)
