'Need a miracle': Kyrgios takes step towards Aussie Open but bows out of doubles

Nick Kyrgios might "need a miracle" to contend for a grand slam again, but his wrist took another step towards his Australian Open return relatively unscathed. Subscribe now for unlimited access . Login or signup to continue reading All articles from our website & app The digital version of Today's Paper Breaking news alerts direct to your inbox Interactive Crosswords, Sudoku and Trivia All articles from the other regional websites in your area Continue There was the occasional flexing of his heavily strapped right wrist and a clutch at the right elbow he got treatment on on Tuesday, but apart from that Kyrgios appeared to be fine after his doubles match with Novak Djokovic at the Brisbane International on New Year's Day.

The "Special Ns" were knocked out in the round of 16 by No.1 seeds Nikola Mektic and Michael Venus in a third-set tiebreak 6-2 3-6 (10-8) on Wednesday. Kyrgios showed some good form in just his third competitive match since missing 18 months with a career-threatening wrist injury .



He had good touch at the net, hit the usual tweeners and was on the verge of progressing to the quarter-finals as they led the tiebreak 7-4 before getting run down. It came a day after he got knocked out of the singles in the first round by French young gun Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in three sets. Nick Kyrgios and Novak Djokovic got knocked out of the Brisbane International doubles.

Picture Getty Images Kyrgios now has a week and a half to finalise his preparations for the Australian Open, which starts in Melbourne Sunday week. The 29-year-old said he'd "need a miracle" to contend for a grand slam title after an injury comeback loss that sewed confidence, but also offered the Australian a sobering reality check. He could only shrug his shoulders as big-serving Mpetshi Perricard left him with a "throbbing" wrist and crashed his comeback party on Tuesday.

The Australian was frustrated but showed fight, touch and fitness in a 7-6 (7-2) 6-7 (7-4) 7-6 (7-3) loss that stretched nearly two-and-a-half hours and featured no breaks of serve. Mpetshi Perricard surged from outside the world's top 200 to finish 31 in the world last year, his huge weapon on both first and second serves arguably already the most devastating in the sport. Kyrgios, playing just his second tour-level singles match in two-and-a-half years after wrist and knee injuries, experienced the full brunt of that.

Mpetshi Perricard served 36 aces to Kyrgios's 15, regularly topping 220kmh with ease and backing himself with huge second serves to compound the pain mentally and physically as just four points separated the pair. "I felt I'd been hit by a bus after the doubles," he said after admitting his wrist was "throbbing like shit". "For my wrist it's all new ground .

.. I went from practising with people unranked to facing the biggest server .

.. on the planet and, 'let's see how you go'.

"I was really excited for the Aus Open and after [Tuesday] ...

the reality set in to be fair. "It [winning a grand slam] might be one of the hardest things to do in any sport. "I almost need a miracle and the stars to align for my wrist to hold up in a grand slam for sure.

"But I'm so happy to be part of the Australian summer again. "I don't take it for granted; going out there again playing a top player like that ..

. smiling to myself knowing I'm right in the heat of the battle. "We were not expecting to be playing here at such a high level.

" with AAP. Share Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Email Copy David Polkinghorne Sports journo Covering the Raiders, Cavalry, cycling and racing, plus everything else that involves sport in the ACT, for The Canberra Times. Basically I love sport and watching it is a full-time job.

Email: [email protected].

au Covering the Raiders, Cavalry, cycling and racing, plus everything else that involves sport in the ACT, for The Canberra Times. Basically I love sport and watching it is a full-time job. Email: david.

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