Young Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios has been forced to withdraw from the Hopman Cup because of a back injury.
The teenager, who knocked out Rafael Nadal at Wimbledon, will be replaced by Matthew Ebden.
Hopman Cup organisers tweeted late on New Year’s Eve: “Nick #Kyrgios has been forced to withdraw from #HopmanCup due to a back injury. We welcome WA’s own @MattEbden to replace him.”
Kyrgios tweeted: “I’m gutted to miss the Hopman Cup.”
Injury-free for the first time since charging into the Wimbledon quarter-finals in July, Kyrgios was to have launched his 2015 campaign at the Hopman Cup in Perth from January 4.
Following the Hopman Cup, the 19-year-old Newcombe Medallist planned to contest the Sydney International before joining the world’s best at the Australian Open in Melbourne from January 19.