“We never made a decision on whether or not he gets a wildcard until he was comfortable in competing,” Tiley told this masthead.
“I think what’s really important is that it was open dialogue with Nick – and his team as well. We trusted his assessment that he would need to make on his ability to play singles.
Nick Kyrgios at the Brisbane International this week.Credit: Getty Images
“He hasn’t played a lot of singles matches. You’ve got to be ready to play and compete in a full five sets because that’s what it could be, so we left it up to him to make that assessment. And so, in a very good and adult way, he made that assessment.
“In my view, it was totally the right decision by him because when you walk on the court, and I know when he does, he wants to give himself the best opportunity to win the match. If not, there’s no value to walk on.”
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Kyrgios and Kokkinakis will require a wildcard to contest the Australian Open doubles draw, but Tiley confirmed he would grant them that request.
“I know he wants to play doubles here, which we’re working on… and I want to give him an opportunity to play doubles here,” Tiley said. “Nick’s made the right decision, and we expected it because there were no guarantees either way.”
Kyrgios gave a raw insight after his 6-3, 6-4 loss to Kovacevic into how injuries had impacted him since his career-best 2022 season, when he reached the Wimbledon final and US Open quarter-finals.
“I genuinely thought I was the best player in the world,” Kyrgios said. “After you have those surgeries, I guess they pull you down, and you don’t have that belief any more. It’s sad in a way.
“That’s just the reality. People out there think you go under the knife, come back and you’re the same player.
“It’s not how it is. That’s just sport; you can’t get too upset and that’s why you’ve got to be grateful for moments like that doubles match the other night.”
