Nick Kyrgios has never been afraid of controversy, with his on-court behavior often dividing opinion among fans and pundits.
Although he did not play singles, Kyrgios still featured in the men’s and mixed doubles competitions.
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The former Wimbledon finalist teamed up with Thanasi Kokkinakis in the men’s doubles, but Kokkinakis appeared to struggle physically in his first-round exit.
In mixed doubles, Kyrgios teamed with Leylah Fernandez. One of their opponents, a Grand Slam champion, has since shared his thoughts on how he performed during their match.
Desirae Krawczyk shares her thoughts on playing against Nick Kyrgios
Photo by Kelly Defina/Getty Images
Four-time Grand Slam mixed doubles champion Desirae Krawczyk was chasing the only major title that had eluded her – the Australian Open – alongside Neal Skupski.
They came close, holding three consecutive match points before losing to Kyrgios and Fernandez 6(6)-7 6-4 (12-10).
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Krawczyk spoke about his experience facing them during an episode of The Players’ Box podcast.
Despite the loss, she described it as a “very entertaining match” and said Kyrgios was “actually quite respectful”.
The two are no strangers to the field. They teamed up for a mixed doubles at Wimbledon in 2019. Looking back, Krawczyk admitted she would rather play with Kyrgios than against him.
“Neal and I played against Nick Kyrgios and Leylah. It was actually a very entertaining match,” Krawczyk said.
“I didn’t know what to expect. Obviously he’s a hell of a showman! It was really rowdy and I went in there and I thought it’s not going to be that bad. Then I came out and I was like I’ve never been in an environment like this and I was like woah. “But to be honest, he did a good job. He wasn’t trying to piss off the crowd. In fact, he was quite respectful.
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Krawczyk also recalled a notable moment from the competition. She added: “We lost in a tough battle, unfortunately. But I managed it, so it was my victory and it was so satisfying.
What Nick Kyrgios has planned after the Australian Open
Nick Kyrgios has been dealing with a series of injuries in recent years, raising questions about what lies ahead for his career.
He has only managed to play seven singles matches since 2022, losing six along the way.
Kyrgios has spoken openly about the possibility of retiring soon, although he has given no indication of when that might happen.
This year he withdrew from singles at the Australian Open, saying he was fit but not yet ready for best-of-five-set matches.
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It’s not yet clear where he will appear next, but Indian Wells and the Miami Open are realistic options.
Kyrgios earned his first singles victory since 2022 at last year’s Miami Open and could consider a return there to build on that momentum.
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