Australian tennis great Todd Woodbridge has made the bold call that Nick Kyrgios can win his maiden singles grand slam title at this year’s Wimbledon tournament, trumpeting the threat he poses and declaring “anything can happen”.
One factor in the Australian’s favour ahead of the next edition, set to begin on June 27, is up to four of the men ranked in the top 10 are in doubt to compete.
Rafael Nadal is battling a foot injury, Alexander Zverev had ankle surgery this month, and Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev are barred from playing due to the ban on Russians and Belarusians.
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But the prospect of Kyrgios seizing his first title is still highly unlikely, given the danger of Novak Djokovic and the 27-year-old’s Wimbledon record.
A 2014 quarter-final against Milos Raonic is the deepest Kyrgios has gone at the All England Club.
“Nick is actually trained and focused on this season, so this is a good start to the grass-court season. If there is any player in the field outside of Novak that can play well enough and beat everyone on grass, it’s Nick,” Woodbridge said on Nine’s Sports Sunday.
“So, it’s about, ‘How does he deal with the expectation as he goes into this one this time?’.
“He is a legitimate force and chance to go deep at Wimbledon.”
Kyrgios’ 2021 Wimbledon campaign produced wins over Ugo Humbert and Glanluca Mager, and a defeat to Felix Auger-Alisassime.
His greatest Wimbledon triumph remains his 2014 victory over Nadal in the round of 16, when he outlasted the legendary Spaniard in four sets.
“It’ll depend on his draw. That’s significant,” Woodbridge said when asked to predict Kyrgios’ 2022 Wimbledon fate.
“We don’t want him coming up in a section that Novak might be, which is a possibility.
“But I think a semi is realistic this year.
“And if he gets to the semi and his body’s OK and the head’s still on the shoulders, anything can happen.”
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