Nick Kyrgios showcased his match fitness after an 18-month break due to wrist and knee injuries, though he was ultimately defeated in a tough contest at the Brisbane International on Tuesday. The 29-year-old Australian faced 21-year-old Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard of France, who won in three tiebreak sets: 7-6 (2), 6-7 (4), 7-6 (3). The match lasted 2 hours and 27 minutes at Pat Rafter Arena.
Mpetshi Perricard, who has climbed from outside the top 200 to No. 31 this year, was in fine form, delivering 36 aces compared to Kyrgios’s 15. The Frenchman regularly served at speeds over 220 kph (135 mph) and hit powerful second serves throughout the match. Despite Kyrgios’s best efforts, including a rare opportunity to break in the second set, there were no service breaks in the match.
Kyrgios expressed his frustration to the chair umpire, Christian Rask, after the missed break opportunity, having been warned about his language earlier in the match.
Novak Djokovic, who triumphed over Nick Kyrgios in the 2022 Wimbledon final, continued his winning run by defeating Australian wild-card entry Rinky Hijikata 6-3, 6-3. A victory in Brisbane on Sunday would mark Djokovic’s 100th ATP tournament win, as he sets his sights on claiming a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title at the Australian Open in Melbourne.
Novak Djokovic expressed confidence after his win over Rinky Hijikata, saying, “A win is a win, and starting the new season with one is very important.” He added, “Hijikata deserves a round of applause. He was really, really good and made me work for the win.”
On Monday, Djokovic and his good friend Nick Kyrgios won their first-round doubles match together. However, Kyrgios mentioned that his wrist was extremely sore following the match and was not optimistic about his chances at the upcoming Australian Open, which starts on January 12. “I almost need a miracle and the stars to align for my wrist to hold up in a Grand Slam for sure,” Kyrgios said. Despite his concerns, he expressed happiness to be back playing in the Australian summer.
Earlier in the day, world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, who is also the two-time defending Australian Open champion, began her Brisbane singles campaign with a dominant 6-4, 6-0 victory over Mexico’s Renata Zarazua.
After receiving a first-round bye, Aryna Sabalenka took just 63 minutes to advance to the third round, displaying impressive form that suggests she could secure a third consecutive Australian Open title. “The first match is always tricky to gauge your form,” Sabalenka said. “I’m glad I closed out the first set, and in the second, it felt like everything I did worked.”
Sabalenka will face 15th-seeded Yulia Putintseva in the third round after the Kazakhstan player defeated American Kessler McCartney 6-2, 7-5.
In other men’s singles action on Tuesday, Frances Tiafoe triumphed over Australian wild-card entry Adam Walton, winning 7-5 (5), 6-3. Meanwhile, the tournament’s No. 5 seed and world No. 22, Sebastian Korda, withdrew due to a lower back injury.