Nick Kyrgios throws down gauntlet for exhibition match in Australia

Nick Kyrgios has thrown down an open challenge for any tennis player to compete against him in an exhibition match in Australia.

The 27-year-old is in a confident mood now following the conclusion of a fairly successful 2022 season. He won two titles in singles this year and ended the year with a 46-20 win-loss record, including a maiden Major final at Wimbledon. He also won his maiden Grand Slam title in doubles alongside Thanasi Kokkinakis at the Australian Open.

The flamboyant player, who is often in the news for his controversial acts on and off the court, took to social media to invite any tennis player to take him on in an exhibition match Down Under.

"This is an invitation to any tennis player who thinks they can beat me in Australia!! Let's organize an exhibition match and sort it out," Kyrgios wrote on Instagram.

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"I love going to places where they may not know so much about tennis" - Nick Kyrgios

Nick Kyrgios will next be in action at the second edition of the Diriyah Tennis Cup from December 8-10 in Saudi Arabia. He will join the likes of Alexander Zverev, Daniil Medvedev, Andrey Rublev, and Cameron Norrie at the event.

In a recent interview, Kyrgios revealed that he always looks forward to playing in a new country and stated that he has a family friend who lives in Saudi Arabia.

“I’m very curious to go to a new place. I’ve never been before and I’m going with my girlfriend …We’re very excited to see what it’s about. I’ve got a very close family friend who lives there, and he only speaks very highly about Saudi. I’m super excited to get there," he said.

“I’m always looking forward to (playing) these sorts of events. It’s very important for the fans to be involved. Personally, I love going to places where they may not know so much about tennis…to try and draw some attention and get them to enjoy it. I think that’s important. When I retire from tennis, I want to know that I left a mark and made a lot of new fans of the sport,” he added.