Australian tennis player Nick Kyrgios has announced his entry into the main draw of the US Open by activating his protected ranking. The tournament is scheduled to take place from August 24 to September 7, 2024. Kyrgios, who has faced significant injury challenges over the last two years, hopes to make a strong return to the competitive scene.
After enduring a series of knee and wrist injuries, Kyrgios’s career was jeopardized in 2023 when he suffered a torn ligament in his wrist, necessitating surgery. This setback kept him sidelined for approximately a year and a half. He made his return to the court at the beginning of the current season but encountered further difficulties that led him to withdraw from the doubles event at the French Open due to another knee injury.
Kyrgios’s struggles continued as he missed Wimbledon for the third consecutive year. The 30-year-old athlete expressed his concerns about his future in the sport after an early exit at the 2024 Australian Open, where he lost to Jacob Fearnley in the first round. Following that match, he revealed that he might have played his last singles match at Melbourne Park, shedding tears after retiring due to wrist pain during the tournament at Indian Wells in March.
Despite these challenges, Kyrgios achieved a notable milestone by winning his first singles match since 2022 against Mackenzie McDonald in Miami later that month. He has since transitioned to television punditry while preparing for his upcoming competitions.
Kyrgios is set to partner with veteran French player Gael Monfils in doubles at the ATP 500 tournament in Washington, which runs from July 29 to August 4. He has also activated his protected ranking to enter the singles draw for this event.
As the US Open approaches, the entry list has attracted significant attention. Defending champions Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka, who currently lead the tennis rankings, are among ten former US Open winners included in the tournament. The competition will feature 18 past Grand Slam singles champions, with the cut-off for direct entry set at No. 101 for men and No. 99 for women as of July 14.
In addition to Kyrgios, other notable players utilizing a special or protected ranking to compete include Petra Kvitova (No. 14) and Sorana Cirstea (No. 37). Kyrgios has also entered the new Mixed Doubles Championship at Flushing Meadows, which begins on August 18, alongside former champion Naomi Osaka.
As anticipation builds for the US Open, fans can watch the tournament live on Sky Sports and stream it through the NOW service, which offers enhanced access to sports content for subscribers this year.
