Miami Open: Nick Kyrgios Celebrates His First Win in 896 Days
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Synopsis
On March 20, Nick Kyrgios marked his first ATP Tour win in 896 days by defeating Mackenzie McDonald at the Miami Open. This victory comes after a challenging 18-month period plagued by injuries, signaling a significant milestone in Kyrgios's comeback to tennis.
Key Takeaways
- Kyrgios records first ATP Tour win since 2022.
- Defeated Mackenzie McDonald at the Miami Open.
- Overcame wrist injuries that limited his career.
- Next match against Karen Khachanov.
- Expressed pride in his competitive spirit.
Miami, March 20 (NationPress) Nick Kyrgios achieved his first ATP Tour victory since 2022 by overcoming American qualifier Mackenzie McDonald at the Miami Open. The 29-year-old has faced persistent foot and wrist injuries over an 18-month span but made his return to competitive play at the beginning of this year.
Kyrgios managed to overcome the wrist discomfort that had sidelined him for the last two years, which had forced him to withdraw during a first-round match at Indian Wells a few weeks prior, ultimately defeating McDonald 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.
After a wrist injury almost led to the 29-year-old's early retirement from the sport, Kyrgios views this victory as a pivotal moment in his comeback.
“It’s been a long journey, even just to get to the start line of matches and be scared even to be able to finish them,” he expressed. “To come up and get a win and feel like I belong again, it’s pretty special.”
Next up for Kyrgios is a match against 22nd seed Karen Khachanov, seeking to avenge his quarterfinal loss at the 2022 US Open, which blocked his path to consecutive Grand Slam finals.
Kyrgios, who has claimed seven titles—all on hard courts—has consistently reached at least the fourth round in five appearances at the Miami Open, making it his most successful Masters 1000 event.
“Something about Miami brings out my best stuff. I’m proud of the way I dug it out and competed. At this level you have to compete. I can’t believe I’m here with the surgery I went through and back in the winner’s corner,” said the currently ranked 892nd Kyrgios, who entered the tournament using a protective ranking.
“It was heavy for me personally. Just the day-by-day process to even be able to hit a tennis ball again was insane. … I want to be strong in those moments, but it was tough,” he added.
