Why Has Nick Kyrgios Not Been Playing at the French Open Since 2018?

Australian player Nick Kyrgios hasn’t played at the French Open since 2018. In fact, just last month, he withdrew from the upcoming 2021 French Open, marking his four-year absence from the Stade Roland Garros in Paris.

Over the years, the hot-headed Australian has openly expressed his dislike for the clay-court surface. His string of poor results at the Slam has added to his distaste for the red-dirt.

Having made his debut at the French Open in 2013, Kyrgios lost in the second round to Marin Cilic. Over the next four years, Kyrgios successively crashed out of the French Open in the early rounds, and his best result to date has been reaching the third round in 2015.

However, his absence from the French Open over the last four years is a consequence of a variety of reasons.

Reasons behind Nick Kyrgios missing the French Open since 2017

Beginning chronologically, Kyrgios’ reason behind withdrawing from the 2018 edition was medical. Two months prior to the 2018 French Open, Kyrgios suffered an elbow injury that rendered him out of action and resulted in his subsequent pulling out.

The following year, the Australian competed in the Masters 1000 events on clay prior to the French Open. However, during his second-round match against Norway’s Casper Ruud at 2019 Italian Open, Kyrgios’ on-court outburst resulted in his disqualification from the tournament.

In the fiasco’s aftermath, the youngster posted an online video a few days later, saying the French Open “sucks” compared to Wimbledon. Ultimately, Kyrgios announced his controversial withdrawal from the 2019 French Open citing an illness as the reason.

The 2020 season came with an unprecedented challenge. As the world grappled with the coronavirus pandemic last year, the ATP calendar got suspended for six months. Despite postponing the 2020 French Open to October, Kyrgios pulled out of the Grand Slam due to concerns about COVID-19.

This year, since his fourth-round exit at the Australian Open, Kyrgios hasn’t competed in any tournament. The 26-year-old’s withdrawal from the 2021 French Open marks a continuation of his self-imposed exile from the tour.

While Kyrgios’ preference for grass and hard courts over clay is unsurprising, hopefully, he will compete at the French Open in the coming years.