"It broke my heart": Nick Kyrgios left lamenting cruel side of tennis after Rafael Nadal withdrawal from Australian Open

Australia’s tennis star Nick Kyrgios has expressed disappointment after the withdrawal of the former world number one Spain’s Rafael Nadal from the Australian Open.

The first Grand Slam of the year is set to begin on Sunday where players from all over the world will showcase their talent and battle to secure the ultimate prize. Nadal is often regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of men’s singles tennis in the Open era, having won as many as 22 Grand Slam titles.

The 37-year-old, who recently made a return to the court after a gap of nearly one year, announced that he will not take part in the mega-event after suffering a little discomfort during the Brisbane International.

Kyrgios, who himself is spending time on the sidelines as he continues to recover from an injury concern, was recently quoted in a report where he expressed disappointment after hearing the news of Nadal’s withdrawal from the mega-event.

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"He wants to just play grand slams,” he said. “That's always been my fear is going out of the sport not on your terms where your body starts to tell you you’re maybe past it. And Rafa is someone who is so important to the sport and it just takes time. It broke my heart seeing that."

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