3 minute read

With Nick Kyrgios admitting he may have played his last Australian Open singles match, a leading analyst believes the mercurial talent should focus on doubles.

His singles career seemingly shot, Nick Kyrgios is being urged to remain on tour amid predictions he could become the best doubles player on the planet.

A crestfallen Kyrgios conceded he had likely played his last Australian Open singles match after injury once more conspired against him in a straight-sets first-round loss to lowly ranked Brit Jacob Fearnley at Melbourne Park.

The 29-year-old part-timer plans to play singles at the remaining grand slams in 2025, with the ATP telling AAP Kyrgios has seven more tournaments through until November to use his injury-protected ranking of world No.21 to gain direct entry.

But leading American doubles analyst Will Boucek is imploring the mercurial talent to channel his energy and rich talent elsewhere.

"I really believe if he focuses on doubles, he's got the skill set to be potentially the best doubles player in the world," Boucek told AAP on Tuesday.

"A few things make him specifically good at doubles.

"He can take returns really early so he can step forward and kind of use a SABR (Sneak Attack By Roger)-type return, and what that does is it totally neutralises the opposing net player.

"So the ball gets past the server's partner really quickly and back to the server. He can also turn and volley with that."

An ATP and WTA doubles strategy analyst, having worked with top-10 teams at the US Open, Wimbledon, Roland Garros, the Australian Open, the WTA Finals and the Olympics, Boucek ranks Kyrgios as more naturally talented than Roger Federer.

"He's got all the shots and would be unrivalled for sure with his skill set," he said.

"Potentially his ball skills are some of the best of all time, and then obviously his serve is massive, which is going to make it easy.

"He's tall, so he's got a big reach so he's good at the net for his partner and can cover a lot of area.

"So I absolutely think he could be one of the top, if not the top, doubles players in the world if he wants to focus on it."

Being a grand slam doubles contender could also help Kyrgios the great showman to remain a centre of attention, Boucek reckons, while also extending his career.

Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis won the 2022 Australian Open doubles title and are again teaming up this year.

Boucek is convinced the Special Ks can be a force to be reckoned with for years to come.

"Having a partner would also help Nick focus and play better," he said.

"On the singles court, for me historically, it has been like he's very afraid to try and not lose, so he'd rather just not try.

"I think that mentality goes away because he has a partner, a mate as well, that he wants to try for."

Three rounds of wrist and knee surgery have sidelined the one-time world No.13 and 2022 Wimbledon finalist for almost two and a half years.

"That's one of the things about doubles - you can sustain your career a lot longer," Boucek said.

"We're seeing it with 'Boo' (Rohan Bupanna) winning the Australian Open last year at 43 (with Australian Matt Ebden).

"Rajeev Ram is 40 now. (Paris Olympics gold medallist) Ebden is probably not that close to retiring and he is 37.

"So, yeah, a lot of the top doubles players are a little bit older because you only have to cover a portion of the court.

"It's just easier on the body for sure."