- Nick Kyrgios arrived in Sydney on Tuesday
- Injury-prone star has endured a frustrating 2023
- Won’t take part in Australian Open in January
Tennis bad boy Nick Kyrgios has been spotted passionately kissing girlfriend Costeen Hatzi at Sydney Airport as he finally returned home in time for Christmas.
Kyrgios, 28, flew in on Tuesday and was clearly happy to celebrate his homecoming with his long-term partner after an extended period spent overseas.
The polarising star – and recent Only Fans convert – also warmly embraced Costeen’s mother Mary Hatzi.
It comes as Kyrgios declared in a recent interview that he feels ‘more respected’ in the US than he does at home because he feels the expectations Aussie sporting fans place on their heroes are ‘weird.’
He also dismissed talk from previous greats such as Boris Becker that players of his generation would hold their own in the current game.
Tennis bad boy Nick Kyrgios has been spotted passionately kissing girlfriend Costeen Hatzi at Sydney Airport as they arrived home on Tuesday ahead of Christmas
Only Fans convert Kyrgios was clearly happy to be back on home soil with his long-term partner after a visit to the USA
The polarising star also warmly embraced Costeen’s mother Mary Hatzi (pictured right)
It comes as Kyrgios declared in a recent interview he feels ‘more respected’ in the US than he does in his home country
‘I feel more respected here [in the US],’ Kyrgios told The Athletic.
‘Australians don’t expect athletes to do anything else but play their sport, which is really weird.
‘I definitely see myself coming back at some stage and playing at a high level again … last year was intense with the amount of tennis I played, I guess this [2023] was a year to just balance it out.’
It comes after Kyrgios played just one match this year, losing to journeyman Wu Yibing in the first round of the Stuttgart Open back in June.
He missed all four grand slams due to injury – and recently announced he won’t take to the court ahead of the 2024 Australian Open at Melbourne Park.
In the same interview, German champion Becker – who won Wimbledon as an unseeded 17-year-old in 1985 – was in Kyrgios’ sights.
‘Sometimes it’s hard to watch these old heads kind of break down the game all the time for new fans,’ he said.
The Canberra raised star also feels expectations Aussie sporting fans place on their heroes is ‘weird’
Kyrgios has played just match this year due to injury – losing to journeyman Wu Yibing in the first round of the Stuttgart Open in straight sets in June
The 28-year-old missed all four grand slams due to injury – and recently announced he won’t take to the court ahead of the 2024 Australian Open at Melbourne Park
Kyrgios dismissed talk that players like six-time grand slam champion Boris Becker (pictured) could hold their own in the current game
‘It’s like some of the stuff they say doesn’t make sense. With some of these people, I’m just like, “What are you talking about?”
‘The game was so slow back then…. ‘I’ve watched Boris Becker and I’m not saying they weren’t good in their time, but to say that they would be just as good now, it’s absurd.
‘A big serve back then was like 197 to 200 [kmh]. People like me, we serve 220 consistently, to corners. It’s a whole different ball game.
‘I’m not saying they wouldn’t have found their way … but serve and volley, to do it all the time now, you need to be serving 220 … because if you serve anything less than 220, bro, [Novak] Djokovic eats you alive.’
