Abu Dhabi: Never one to shy away from controversy, Nick Kyrgios has once again found himself at the centre of the storm following his remarks about World No. 1 Jannik Sinner. The Australian, who is making his highly anticipated return to competitive tennis at the World Tennis League (WTL) in Abu Dhabi, spoke candidly and unapologetically about the backlash he’s faced, particularly from former doubles World No. 1 Nicolas Mahut, after Kyrgios’ pointed comments on Sinner’s doping case and his wish to face the Italian at the Australian Open.
In an exclusive interview with Telecom Asia Sport after his WTL match in Abu Dhabi, Kyrgios fired back at Mahut, showing little patience for the latter’s criticism.
I don’t know if there’s a back-and-forth. Nicolas Mahut, on a global level, hasn’t made inroads like I have, so I’ll let that be. And I don’t think the world necessarily cares too much about what Nicolas Mahut has to say.
The 29-year-old, who has been sidelined for over a year following wrist reconstruction surgery, didn’t hold back when asked about his ability to compete with the sport’s top players, including Sinner.
I wasn’t retiring. Trust me, I was two sets away from winning a Grand Slam. I didn’t retire; I was forced to stop playing for a while. It was very, very hard because I was playing the best tennis of my life. It’s been about 16 months since my surgery, and I’ve done everything the right way — no shortcuts, just rehab and hard work. I’ve put myself in the best position I can, and now I’ll let my tennis do the talking.
Despite Mahut’s skepticism, Kyrgios remains confident about his chances at the Australian Open.
I have people like Mahut telling me to be realistic. He was an amazing doubles player, a Grand Slam champion, no doubt, but he didn’t have the singles career I’ve had. That’s probably why he has his opinion. But on the singles court, he never had the belief I have, so that opinion means nothing to me. I’ve achieved way more things playing singles than Mahut could have in his entire career. That belief is what separates players. Federer, Nadal, Djokovic — they were the greatest because people were defeated before they even stepped on the court with them. I don’t want to be that player. I’ll always back my ability and my belief.
Along with his words of confidence, Kyrgios also acknowledged the current dominance of players like Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz but remained undeterred.
There’s no doubt that Sinner, Alcaraz — these guys are the best in the world right now, hands down. But that doesn’t mean I won’t believe in myself. I’ll always back myself and do everything I can to compete.
It all started with Kyrgios speaking on the Nothing Major podcast, said, “Let’s be honest, I just want to go out there and I really want to play Sinner. If I played him in the Australian Open, I’d get every person in the crowd to get on him. It would turn it into an absolute riot. All respect would go out the window, and I would just do anything to win.”
These comments came after Sinner was embroiled in a doping controversy earlier this year. The Italian tested positive for the banned substance clostebol but was found to bear no fault or negligence by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA). His positive result was attributed to contamination through his physio, and while Sinner was cleared to compete, the case remains under appeal by the World Anti-Doping Agency. Kyrgios had previously criticised Sinner, calling for him to be banned and questioning the leniency of the no-fault ruling.
Kyrgios’ remarks struck a nerve with Nicolas Mahut, who called out the Aussie for taking his comments too far. “I don’t like these kinds of statements. He gave his opinion about Sinner’s positive tests, which is fine, but to let it escalate like this in a disrespectful way? Sinner has never disrespected anyone, and whatever anyone says, you need to realise the fact that he’s the No. 1 in the world. There’s no need to let yourself go like this,” the Frenchman said to Eurosport. Mahut also dismissed Kyrgios’ chances of defeating Sinner, saying, “Even if the crowd gets excited, Sinner will win that match easily with 6-3s.”
Kyrgios’ return to the Australian Open will mark his first appearance at the tournament in three years, following a tumultuous period in his career that included injury, surgery, and time away from the sport. The Aussie is also set to compete in the doubles draw at the Brisbane International with Novak Djokovic, an intriguing partnership that is sure to draw significant attention.
As Kyrgios prepares to step back onto the big stage, one thing remains clear — his fiery personality and unwavering self-belief continue to make him one of the most polarising and captivating figures in the sport. Whether he faces Sinner or not, Kyrgios has once again made it clear that he’s ready to do whatever it takes to fight for his place at the top of the game.
