Nick Kyrgios withdraws from first-round clash with Andy Murray at Winston-Salem Open due to knee injury

Liam O'Loughlin

•
Nick Kyrgios withdraws from first-round clash with Andy Murray at Winston-Salem Open due to knee injury image

Nick Kyrgios has been forced to withdraw from his first-round clash at the Winston-Salem Open against Andy Murray, citing an injury to his left knee.

The 26-year-old was set to face the former World No.1 in North Carolina, with the crowd in attendance set to see the two superstars go head-to-head.

Unfortunately, whatever issue Kyrgios has with his knee left him no choice but to pull out just before the match begun.

Kyrgios has struggled with injury throughout this year, losing his third-round Wimbledon match with Felix Auger Aliassime via walkover after suffering an abdominal injury.

He explained his decision to withdraw from the tournament and spoke about his desire to perform well at the upcoming US Open.

“I’ve just been dealing with a bit of knee pain the last couple of weeks," he said.'

"With the US Open just around the corner, I didn’t feel as if it was worth the risk of going out there and possibly making it worse and not giving myself the best shot to perform at the US Open.

"I was rehabbing and training, came here obviously excited to play here – I love the facilities, they are great, and to play Andy Murray who is one of my good friends and a tennis icon would have been amazing.

"Obviously I had to look after my body and with a grand slam next week, I wanted to be more cautious.

“I obviously don’t have time up my sleeve with the US Open around the corner and events I really want to be showcasing my true talents at.

"I didn’t feel as if the risk was worth weighing up today."

Kyrgios also opted not to travel to Tokyo for the Olympic Games, with a lack of crowds and concerns over COVID restrictions the major issues. 

Liam O'Loughlin

Liam O'Loughlin Photo

Liam has been with The Sporting News since 2019, helping lead both NRL and cricket content, as well as delving into the world of combat sports and NFL. A true rugby league tragic, he has spent the past 20 years playing, coaching and volunteering for his beloved junior club, Penshurst RSL. 

Away from work, Liam has a lifelong passion for all things pro wrestling and has travelled abroad to attend showcase events for WWE, AEW and NJPW.