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For those of you that love Nick Kyrgios, his recent rankings slide will no doubt be rather alarming. Yet for those who can’t stand the guy, the news of Kyrgios’ ATP ranking dropping by 57 positions will no doubt be rather pleasing. This is all covered in the most recent ATP rankings updates, which have stirred up quite a discussion about what lies ahead for Nick Kyrgios. Of course, things have been somewhat up and down with Nick Kyrgios for a number of years already.
However, in the 2022 season, many Kyrgios fans were pumped when he started to show signs that he’d pulled it all together – finally. As you might recall, he made the finals of Wimbledon 2022, and he also won the Citi Open title too. Clearly, he was in immense form, and he went on to reach the quarter-finals of the US Open not long afterward. But sadly, as we approached the beginning of 2022, injury struck the Aussie.
Since then, it’s been a very ropey ride due to the injury and subsequent surgery back in January 2023. Additionally, with Nick Kyrgios remaining off the tour due to various injury issues, his ranking has finally started to tumble. To be specific, he has dropped from 35 in the rankings down to 92 with just one update. And once the 2023 Canadian Open is finished this week, he is guaranteed to drop out of the top 100.
On that note, I’d like to give you the ins and outs of this developing story, while explaining a few intricate details at the same time.
The Kyrgios Rankings Saga – Is This the Beginning of the End for Nick?
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Due to the string of injuries this season, which include his knee and his wrist, it’s not exactly looking great for the talented Aussie. Furthermore, when he was added to the list of National Bank Open withdrawals, many fans feared the worst for the remainder of his 2023 season. Of course, if it was any other player, the thought that this might symbolize the end would seem a bit dramatic. Yet with Kyrgios, who tends to be outspoken about his love-hate relationship with tennis, one has to wonder whether this will put him over the edge.
However, it’s obviously Nick Kyrgios who has the final say on what he does with his career. And personally, given that he is just 28 years of age, combined with his obvious talents, I hope that he comes back and competes at the highest level. Anyway, that’s something that we won’t know until a bit further down the line.
So for now, let’s focus on what Kyrgios’ rankings update actually means in the immediate future and what impact this will have.
The Good News – His Protected Ranking
Although it’s far from ideal that Nick Kyrgios is on the verge of dropping out of the top 100, there is a saving grace for the Aussie. Due to the ATPs rules on protected rankings, this is exactly what he will have for 9 months or 9 competitions. More specifically, his protected ranking is 21 in the world, as this is the point at which he became eligible for the protected ranking.
Therefore, while yes, he isn’t able to play at the moment, he can use this ranking to get into top-level tournaments immediately once he is fit. As a result, he will be able to rack up the points pretty quickly when he returns.
The Bad News – He Will Drop Even Further Over the Coming Weeks
Although the news about Kyrgios’ protected ranking is good, there is also a flip side to this story. Since he has withdrawn from the Canadian Open, he is set to lose another 180 points when the next ATP rankings are released on Monday, August 14th. This will take him outside of the top 100 for the very first time in close to 18 months. And unfortunately, it gets worse as you look further out.
Given that he secured points in both Cincinnati and New York last year, when these points drop off, he might find himself close to 200 in the rankings.
Kyrgios’ Rankings Adjustments – Does This Signify the End?
At the end of the day, I must provide an opinion on the matter, as that’s what many fans are speculating with these recent developments. So to conclude, no, I don’t believe that this is the beginning of the end for Nick Kyrgios. I feel that since he is just 28 years of age, even Kyrgios will admit that he has more to achieve in the sport. Furthermore, when he was competing full-time last season, he was finally making the most of his talents, and I’m sure his team is reminding him of that too!
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