Nick Kyrgios drops shocking retirement plans because of excessive 'drinking, partying'

Nick Kyrgios has opened up on his retirement plans, saying there is "no chance" he will play until he is 33.

Kyrgios, who is known for his infamous behaviour on and off the field, is just 28 years old, but he has admitted that he feels more like he is 57 in age due to all the "partying and drinking" in his career.

Kyrgios: 'I feel like I'm 57'

Many players these days in tennis have been extending their careers into their late 30s and early 40s. But Kyrgios, who has previously spoken about his struggles with alcohol abuse and excessive partying, believes he will hang his boots in the next five years before turning 33.

"No f****** chance. No way. Bro, there's no chance I'm playing until 33. Kyrgios playing until 33 is insane. I'm not playing until 33. The schedule is out of control, bro. I'm getting old. 28. But with all the drinking and partying I'm 57," Kyrgios said at the Ultimate Tennis Showdown in Los Angeles, according to Mirror.

Krygios, who turned pro in 2013, also suggested once he moves away from the sport he will become very private. "I promise you, when I'm gone, you'll never see me again," said Kyrgios.

Kyrgios cannot emulate Nadal, Djokovic, Federer

Kyrgios does not have a coach, and he has previously been spotted at a pub the day before a Grand Slam match. This irregular lifestyle is bound to take a toll on the Australian player. Therefore, Kyrgios will certainly not emulate the likes of Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, and Rafael Nadal, who were all winning major trophies in their late 30s.

"It's a lot of training, a lot of work, and I just want to be able to eat whatever I want, drink what I want to drink. It's a hard lifestyle. The dedication these guys show... I did a bit of that last year to show the world I'm still one of the best," added Kyrgios.

Even though more advanced sports sciences are aiding athletes to prolong their careers, Kyrgios does not seem to have any plans of following it. He won the Australian Open, his home major tournament, as a junior, but has been unable to bring that form into the men's game. Last year, he clinched the doubles trophy in the Melbourne Grand Slam, but his quest for a singles major title is still on.

Kyrgios, however, is still aiming to win one of the four elite Grand Slams. "Hopefully I can win a [grand] slam and retire. It seems the better you do, everyone wants a bit more of you and it becomes more stressful," he said in December last year.

The World No. 35 had his career's best year in 2022, where he qualified for the Wimbledon final, but lost to Novak Djokovic in four sets. He has barely made any appearances on the court this year amid injury issues. Kyrgios has played just one game this year, and skipped the calendar year's first three Grand Slams.

While many had expected Kyrgios to defend his Citi Open title in Washington this week, he opted not to play in the tournament as he continues rehab from knee surgery and torn ligaments in his wrist.

Earlier, Kyrgios had revealed he wanted to "commit suicide" after his elimination from Wimbledon in 2019. The Aussie star admitted he had a tough phase four years ago, when he lost to Rafael Nadal in the second round at the All England Club. The loss left him so devastated that he was forced to seek help in a psychiatric hospital in London.

Later on, Kyrgios had to get a sleeve tattoo on his right arm to cover up marks of self-harm. Seeing his father crying over his mental health issues was a "big wake-up call" for the tennis player to take action, and to not let the situation go further out of hand for himself.

"I was drinking, abusing drugs, I hated the kind of person I was. I lost at Wimbledon. I woke up and my dad was sitting on the bed, full-blown crying. That was the big wake-up call for me. I was like, OK, I can't keep doing this. I ended up in a psych ward in London to figure out my problems," said Kyrgios.