(Los Angeles) Australian Nick Kyrgios, who was hoping to return to competition at the Masters 1000 in Indian Wells next week, “has withdrawn, insufficiently recovered from a left knee injury”, organizers announced on Monday of the California tournament.

The 19e world player has not played since October 6, and his victory in the round of 16 against Kamil Majchrzak.

He was then forced to withdraw from the Australian Open in mid-January, during which time he underwent arthroscopy to repair a torn meniscus, which caused a cyst in the cartilage.

His journey to the quarter-finals in Indian Wells last year, when he was down to 132e world place, had sounded the time for his return to the highest level, after more than two years of hardship, between nervous breakdown and inability to play due to COVID-19 in 2020.

In the process, he had reached the final at Wimbledon, won the tournament in Washington and reached the quarters at the United States Open.

In addition to his package in California (March 8 to 19), he also withdrew from the entry list for the Masters 1000 which will follow in Miami (March 22 to April 2), several American media report.