MELBOURNE, Australia — Nick Kyrgios is facing yet another injury hurdle as he anticipates his return to Grand Slam tennis during the Australian Open. An abdominal strain has led him to withdraw from an exhibition match scheduled for this week against Novak Djokovic.

The 2022 Wimbledon finalist has been coping with wrist and knee injuries since the conclusion of the 2022 U.S. Open. In a social media update on Wednesday, Kyrgios shared that an ultrasound indicated he had suffered an abdominal strain and regrettably would not be participating in the match with his friend Djokovic on Thursday.

While he downplayed the severity of the injury, stating it was “not too serious,” Kyrgios acknowledged that it would impact his ability to prepare for the Australian Open, which is set to commence this Sunday at Melbourne Park. “I’ve still got five days up my sleeve, so I probably won’t serve for the next couple of days,” he explained. “I’ve got a couple of practices lined up, and I’ll do everything in my power to make sure I’m ready. It’s not too serious, so I’ll take it day by day and aim to give myself the best chance.”

The enigmatic Australian, who has garnered a following as an entertaining commentator during his time off due to injuries, made a competitive return last week in Brisbane. During this event, he participated in one singles match and teamed up with Djokovic for two doubles matches.

Kyrgios and Djokovic kicked off their doubles campaign with a spirited win, thrilling fans at Pat Rafter Arena, but ultimately faced a tight loss to Nikola Mektic from Croatia and Michael Venus from New Zealand with scores of 6-2, 3-6, 10-8.

Despite the uncertainty surrounding Kyrgios’s condition and participation, Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley expressed optimism that the Australian star would be ready to compete in the major event. “I think it’s just precautionary, that’s the feedback we’ve received from him,” Tiley remarked on Wednesday when asked about Kyrgios’s potential absence. “He’s not the only one who has altered their planned matches over the next few days. There are no concerns leading up to the Open.”