‘I’m one of the best in the world’ – Nick Kyrgios confident he can win Australian Open as he is set for collision course with Novak Djokovic
Nick Kyrgios feels like he can win the Australian Open and is relishing the prospect of going into it as one of the favourites.
For years, Kyrgios has been the Uber-talented star who could never quite harness that capability on the court.
He was more prone to a meltdown and smash a few rackets than go deep at a Grand Slam.
That all changed in 2022 as he reached the final of Wimbledon and played the best tennis of his career.
Now he goes into the first Grand Slam of 2023 as one of the contenders and the 27-year-old knows it.
"I am one of the best players in the world so I'm definitely going to go into the Australian Open, any tournament, with confidence," said the Australian number one after practice at Melbourne Park.
"It's a bit different this time around for me being one of the favourites. Usually I'm a dark horse type thing but now, obviously after the year I've had, I'm one of the favourites so it's kind of new for me as well.
"This is the first time I've genuinely gone into a slam feeling like I'm one of the guys that can really take the trophy and knock on the door. I don't know what I'm going to be feeling when I get out there.
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"Usually I've got nothing to lose and just putting on a show, but I've got to try to really find that balance. Fourteen days to win one of these things is not easy. Obviously I'm capable but so many other people are capable as well.”
Kyrgios pulled out of representing Australia at the United Cup on the eve of the tournament citing a leg injury but declared himself fit and ready on Thursday while announcing his investment in the South East Melbourne Phoenix basketball team.
He is due to take on Novak Djokovic in a practice match in Rod Laver Arena on Friday evening, with tickets selling out inside an hour.
Djokovic has been struggling with a hamstring injury sustained in Adelaide last week and cut short a practice session on Wednesday but he was back on court on Thursday, albeit with strapping protecting the problem.
Kyrgios expects the clash to go ahead, saying: "I haven't heard anything else. He knows what he needs to be feeling moving forwards. But I wouldn't have any doubt. I still think he's a clear favourite."
He added: "I know people are always going to have people they hate on court and people they love. I'm one of the players that deals with it everywhere.
"I would just say Novak's here and he hasn't made any rules. He's here and all he wants to do is put on a show.
"He's chasing things that athletes rarely are able to chase, he's one of the greatest athletes of all time, not just on a tennis court. I know there are going to be people that won't want him to win but I think they just can't cross that line as fans."
The pair are also on a collision course to meet in the quarter-finals as the draw was made on Thursday.
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