Determined Nick Kyrgios fires Wimbledon warning shot at rivals

After surging to last year’s Wimbledon final against Novak Djokovic, Nick Kyrgios is sending a clear signal to his rivals: discount him at your own peril. 

The 28-year-old star recently arrived at The All England Club, a setting where he had an exceptional run last year, resulting in his maiden Grand Slam final appearance.

However, his participation this year remains uncertain due to a persistent knee injury, which led him to withdraw from the Halle Open and Mallorca Open.

In an apparent shot at those doubting whether he could replicate last year’s heroics because of the injury, Kyrgios posted an image of him training in London with the caption: ‘Some say I don’t fit in here. I show them my resumé.’

Kyrgios was spotted training alongside partner Costeen Hatzi and manager Daniel Horsfall, finishing the session flat out on his back in exhaustion.

The Instagram post that Kyrgios used to fire a warning shot at his Wimbledon rivals as he prepares to line up at the All-England Club on Monday

After missing the first half of the season due to knee surgery – including the Aussie and French Open – Kyrgios resumed his 2023 season in Stuttgart, only to suffer a first-round defeat while displaying obvious pain in the knee.

The encouraging signs from Kyrgios will come as a relief for Aussie tennis fans, reeling from the withdrawal of Ajla Tomljanović while Thanasi Kokkinakis bombed out in qualifying.

However there will also be a new face to cheer, with a shock Aussie veteran cracking the world top 100 and earning his place at The Championships.   

Growing up on Sydney’s upper north shore Alexsandar Vukic used to watch Wimbledon on television – but he never imagined he’d play there.

Yet next week, more than two decades after he first picked up a racquet, the 27-year-old will make his debut on the world’s most famous grass courts.

Vukic has surged up the ranks to earn his place at The Championships, cracking the world top 100 with three ATP finals wins

Vukic has come a long way since the Wichita Tennis Open and will debut at Wimbledon aged 27 years old this year

An impressive climb into the top 100 has earned the Australian a place in the tournament’s main draw for the first time. It is not, he admitted to AAP, something he ever envisaged.

‘It’s going to be very special. Very special,’ he said. ‘The Australian Open’s a home slam. It’s the favourite slam, but there’s something about Wimbledon.

‘That’s the most prestigious and I think it always will be, as a tennis player, especially from Australia, Wimbledon’s the dream. I can’t wait. I didn’t think about it to be honest. I honestly didn’t really think this far.

‘I’m in a good place mentally. I have good people around me and just I think I’m getting to the point of my career. I’m taking everything as it comes, just trying to enjoy as much as I can and see what can happen.’