Nick Kyrgios says he will be fit for Wimbledon as hip injury forces Queen’s exit

Nick Kyrgios insists his withdrawal from the Aegon Championships will not stop him playing at Wimbledon and joked it would give him more time to spend in the pub.

Kyrgios was forced to retire from the grass-court tournament at Queen’s on Monday after a nasty fall in his opening match against American Donald Young aggravated a recurring hip injury.

Britain’s Kyle Edmund also made a disappointing start to his grass-court season as the 22-year-old endured a shock defeat to Canadian teenager Denis Shapovalov.

Shapovalov was defaulted from his previous Davis Cup meeting with Edmund in February after lashing a ball into the eye of umpire Arnaud Gabas, but this time prevailed 7-6 (7/4) 4-6 6-4.

Kyrgios’ departure, however, coming after he lost the first-set tie-break 7-3, could have implications for Wimbledon given the Australian’s ongoing problems with his left hip and with the next grand slam fast-approaching.

Asked if he was optimistic of playing at the All England Club in less than a fortnight, Kyrgios said: “Yeah, of course. Yeah 100 per cent. I mean I’d play Wimbledon if I was injured pretty bad anyway. I’m here anyway.

“I don’t really have time to go home or anything. Yeah, I will be playing for sure.”

Asked what he would be doing now instead this week, Kyrgios said, smiling, “Dog and Fox”, referring to a pub located close to Wimbledon.

The score was 4-4, 15-0 to Young when he slipped on the baseline and his instant reaction was to hold his face in his hands while lying on the grass.

A medical time-out followed at the next change of ends but the 22-year-old signalled his ongoing discomfort with numerous shakes of the head.

The courts at Queen’s Club do tend to be greener at this point in the summer, with Andy Murray and Nicolas Mahut both voicing disapproval last year after taking tumbles in the first round.

Two games after Kyrgios’ slip, a ball girl also lost her footing on Centre Court.

“They are always a bit slippery on the first couple of days,” Kyrgios said. “The court is obviously new, pretty slick, especially Centre Court. I was expecting it. It is what it is, honestly.”

Kyrgios added: “I have been playing with a sore hip for a long time. I felt it was painful and it’s not really worth it.

“Obviously my main goal is to play well at Wimbledon so I’m going to try and get it better and rehab it and hopefully it settles down. I’m sure it will. There is no point of playing on if I’m feeling pain in my hip.”

Edmund is ranked 146 places above the 18-year-old Shapovalov but his opponent showed why many have him down as a potential star of the future.

“He just played aggressively,” Edmund said.

“It’s my first match on grass after coming off the clay so you don’t expect to play your best tennis first match and that was certainly the case today.

“He’s been playing a few matches on the grass, which I think probably helped him.”

Earlier, fifth seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga bounced back from his first-round defeat at the French Open last month by cruising past compatriot Adrian Mannarino 6-2 6-2. Tsonga is due to meet Murray in the quarter-finals.

Sixth seed Grigor Dimitrov is also safely through after he beat Ryan Harrison 6-3 6-1.