Australian tennis player Nick Kyrgios has had his fair share of controversies over the years, and the latest buzz involves Nicolas Mahut. The French player commented that Kyrgios’ dreams of winning a Grand Slam title might be a bit far-fetched, especially since he’s making a comeback after nearly two years away from the game, during which he only played one competitive match.

Mahut shared his thoughts with Eurosport, saying, “I think all the pre-match hype is tougher for Sinner to deal with than the actual match. Kyrgios hasn’t been back for long, and while it’s nice to dream about winning at the Australian Open, you have to keep it real. Even if the crowd is pumped, Sinner will probably take it with scores like 6-3.”

As Kyrgios prepares for his return, he’s made it clear that his goal is to snag a singles Grand Slam title. His closest shot at that was during the 2022 Wimbledon, where he fell short against Novak Djokovic in the final.

He mentioned that he believes he can take down World No. 1 Jannik Sinner if they meet at the 2025 Australian Open. This comment didn’t sit well with Kyrgios, who fired back at the French player during a recent chat with Telecom Asia Sport.

“I’ve got guys like Mahut telling me to be realistic. Sure, he was a fantastic doubles player and a Grand Slam champ, but his singles career doesn’t compare to mine. That’s probably why he thinks the way he does. On the singles court, he never had the same confidence I do, so his opinion doesn’t really matter to me. I’ve accomplished way more in singles than Mahut ever did in his whole career,” he stated.

Standing firm, he continued, “That confidence is what sets players apart. Federer, Nadal, Djokovic—they were legends because opponents were already beaten before they even stepped on the court. I don’t want to be that kind of player. I’ll always trust in my skills and my belief.”

Kyrgios is set to return at the upcoming Brisbane International before the Australian Open. He’s been on the mend from wrist and knee injuries for the past two years and has also undergone surgeries.

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