Kyrgios out of warm-up event for Australian Open due to asthma

MELBOURNE : Nick Kyrgios has withdrawn from the Melbourne Summer Set due to asthma, organisers of the ATP 250 event said on Tuesday, leaving him with only one tournament to prepare for this month's Australian Open.

Kyrgios, a crowd favourite at Melbourne Park, has not played since late September due to knee issues, slipping to 93rd in the rankings which ruled him out of contention for the Australian team for the season-opening ATP Cup in Sydney.

The 26-year-old, who played only 15 matches in 2021, winning seven of them, was scheduled to take on Slovakian Alex Molcan at Melbourne Park on Tuesday.

Kyrgios will now begin his 2022 season at the Sydney Tennis Classic next week after being handed a wild card for the event.

The Australian Open will begin on Jan. 17.