Nick Kyrgios eyes showdown with Jannik Sinner at Australian Open after slamming world No.1 over doping controversy

Australian firebrand Nick Kyrgios is eyeing a showdown with world No.1 Jannik Sinner at January’s Australian Open, insisting he would turn the event into ‘an absolute riot’.

As he prepares for his return to tennis, Kyrgios has been among the most vocal critics of Sinner for returning two positive drug tests earlier this year.

The US Open champion first tested positive for banned anabolic steroid clostebol during Indian Wells on March 10, then again eight days later.

On both occasions the world number one successfully appealed and was allowed to continue playing while the evidence was assessed.

Sinner, 23, was then successful in convincing an independent tribunal that the two positive tests finding an extremely small quantity of the substance in his system – less than a billionth of a gram – had been a consequence of contamination.

Kyrgios, who is planning on a return to Melbourne Park next year, says he wants to play the Italian. 

Sinner tested positive for banned anabolic steroid clostebol twice in March

‘Let’s be honest, I just want to go out there and I really want to play Sinner,’ Kyrgios said on the Nothing Major podcast.

‘I thought about this (the game plan). If I played him in the Australian Open, I would just get every single person in the crowd to get on him. I would just turn it into an absolute riot.

‘All respect would go out the window and I would just do anything to win.’

Kyrgios says he now aims to be ‘as controversial as possible’ and authentically express himself.

‘I feel like why we love sport is because you have to have contrast in personalities,’ he said.

‘If I draw Sinner in the Australian Open third round, everyone will watch because it’s contrasting personalities. 

‘We don’t like each other, and I think it’s healthy in sport.’

Injuries have kept the former Wimbledon finalist sidelined for an extended period, leading many to wonder if the mercurial talent would ever return to the game.

Injuries have kept the former Wimbledon finalist sidelined for an extended period, but he plans to be fit for the Australian Open

 Kyrgios says he’s recovering, but still not back to his best. 

‘Every time I play tennis now, I got to do an hour-and-a-half treatment after, like my wrist,’ he said.

‘I lose feeling in my fingers sometimes. It’s tingling, so I’m definitely on the back end.

‘I couldn’t see myself playing for another, max, a year-and-a-half, probably.’