Nick Kyrgios believes his "heartbreaking" call to pull out of the Japan Open could also have been a smart one by gifting him a restful launch pad for a powerful European finish to his breakthrough season.
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Australia's Wimbledon finalist sacrificed a crack at two titles in Tokyo when ominous twinges in his knee persuaded him to pull out just minutes before he was due to take on American Taylor Fritz in Friday's quarter-finals.
It meant he also had to abandon his doubles semi-final alongside his fellow Australian pal Thanasi Kokkinakis, putting an end to what had been a successful week in which a second singles title of the year had looked his for the taking.
Instead, the 27-year-old has had to fly home to Australia to rest his vulnerable left knee which has often caused him problems.
Yet he remains convinced the tough decision could end up working in his favour as he plots a spectacular finish to his 2022 campaign on European hard courts.
"Obviously very disappointing, it's one of my favourite tournaments, I've had great memories here," said Kyrgios, who had the previous day been enthusing about what a tremendous week he'd enjoyed with his team in the Japanese capital.
"But pulling out is the smart option for my body. I've got a couple of events left in the year and I want to do well in them, so I have to be smart."
Kyrgios plans to play the ATP 500 Basel Open at the end of October and has also set his sights on one of the season's big prizes the following week at the Paris Masters in Bercy.
The Canberra maverick has played consistently well in a campaign during which he's begun to fulfil expectations and hasn't apparently been distracted by off-court controversies.
It was capped by his run to the Wimbledon final and a tournament triumph in Washington, and he's adamant there'll be no anti-climactic end to his season.
"I'm expecting some big things from myself for the rest of the year. I don't want to coast and wait until the Australian Open," he'd explained earlier in the week in Tokyo. "I want to stay on the road."
So his season could yet end as it started, with a major doubles triumph alongside Kokkinakis.
The 'Special Ks' won the Australian Open together in January and could lift the end-of-season ATP finals trophy in November if all goes well.
And Kyrgios, not one of life's great trainers, was quick to play down the idea that his withdrawal was a sign of continuing physical vulnerability.
"I know in this case, (pulling out) is probably overloading rather than not being fit enough. I think it's almost being too excited to get on the court and maybe training a little bit too much.
"It's positive but heartbreaking at the same time."
Still, his troublesome knee is likely to remain a problem. "It's been something I've had to deal with my whole career and sometimes it wakes up pretty average.
"And when I was warming up with Thanasi, it just didn't feel ideal."
Australian Associated Press
