Kyrgios told French Open calls can ‘go to voicemail’ as return planned

Nick Kyrgios has been given some advice about his upcoming return from injury. The world No 26 has not played at all this season but previously hinted at competing in the French Open, while also signing up to play on the grass in Stuttgart. But compatriot John Millman told Kyrgios to let the French Open tournament director’s calls “go to voicemail” and skip the clay season altogether.

Kyrgios finally looks set to make his return to the tour in the next few weeks. The Australian will be competing in an exhibition match with Holger Rune in Copenhagen on May 24. And the French Open begins just five days later.

The 28-year-old previously claimed he would return to Roland Garros for the first time since 2017 so his girlfriend could “see Paris”. While he has continued to delay his comeback from knee surgery, the timing of his exhibition with Rune would conveniently allow him to go straight to the French Open.

But Millman believes that his countryman should discard the clay season altogether and make his comeback on the grass, as Kyrgios has already entered the Stuttgart ATP 250 event. “I’m sure there are many tournament directors that would love that return come at their tournament, none more so than Amelie Mauresmo at the French Open,” the 33-year-old wrote for News.com.au.

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“Roland Garros needs a great 2023 edition,” Millman added, explaining that the tournament could suffer with Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic currently battling injuries. He also said the French Tennis Federation was “scrambling to recoup the losses sustained” when hosting the tournament during Covid in 2020 and 2021, and said Kyrgios could be the answer.

“A box office player making his return to play is exactly what Mauresmo and her team needs. The question is should Nick answer her calls?” he continued. “Nick proved last year when making the final of Wimbledon that he can win Grand Slams.”

However, the former world No 33 didn’t think that Kyrgios should bother playing the tournament as he backed the seven-time title winner to succeed at the other three Majors. Millman wrote: “I see no reason why he can’t win Wimbledon, Australian Open or the US Open in the next eight months.

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“But for me, there are question marks concerning the amount of success he can have on the clay courts of the French Open.” And he urged his compatriot to send Mauresmo’s calls to voicemail as he backed Kyrgios to clean up during the grass swing.

“Nick will be wanting matches before Wimbledon and Roland Garros could provide him with these, but I can’t help but feel he’s good enough to once again do what he’s done so many times in his career – put all his chips on the table, skip the clay and go all in for the grass,” he added. “Mauresmo would love the Kyrgios show in Paris, but if I were Nick I’d be letting her calls go to voicemail.”

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