SEN’s Brett Phillips has suggested Nick Kyrgios' late withdrawal from the United Cup was more pre-planned than first thought.
Kyrgios withdrew from the tournament on Wednesday, just 10 minutes before he and his teammates were set to hold a press conference in Sydney. Sam Stosur admitted she'd only just been informed when fronting the press.
It was announced that the 27-year-old had sustained an ankle injury whilst competing in the World Tennis League in Dubai last week.
“I got wind of it the day before that Nick (Kyrgios) was going to pull out (of the United Cup),” Phillips told 1170 SEN Breakfast.
“He obviously didn’t play in the Davis Cup and as we know it has been a three-year hiatus from the Davis Cup.
"He elected to go the middle east where he cashed in like so many in playing these exhibition tournaments.
“From what we’re told he hurt the ankle, to what degree we don’t know, obviously everyone plays through different pain barriers in sport.
“He came back to Sydney, had a couple of hits and then declared very late that he wasn’t going to take part.”
Phillips mentioned that there has been a sense of unease from the Australian tennis community that Kyrgios might not enjoy representing his country at the international level.
“We don’t fully know everything, I mean there’s been a little bit of angst that he hasn’t been representing Australia for three years,” he said.
“And here was the chance to actually represent Australia for the first time since he played in the ATP Cup in Sydney back in 2020.
“So he does go to the beat of a very different drum and we will have to see what the preparation is like now for the Australian Open.
“No doubt that has to be the focus, but the Australian Open is going to be extremely tough for him to win.”
On Thursday morning, Australian Open boss Craig Tiley confirmed to Today that Kyrgios had spoken to Tennis Austraia before his official withdrawal.
“We had conversations with Nick … he is taking a precautionary decision as indicated to us to protect his ankle in his preparation for the Australian Open,” Tiley said.
Kyrgios had days earlier stated his excitement to take part in the United Cup.
The United Cup gets underway on Thursday, with the Aussies to take on Great Britain in Sydney.