"We would love to see Nick Kyrgios do well, staying healthy, enjoying" - Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley

Nick Kyrgios will enter the 2023 Australian Open as the country's biggest hope of having back-to-back home-bred singles champions at the Melbourne Grand Slam. Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley is among those rooting for the Aussie tennis superstar's success next month and feels Kyrgios needs to be happy and healthy throughout to be able to emulate Ashleigh Barty's achievement from last year.

Former World No. 1 Barty was in utterly dominant form in 2021, which she further translated into the 2022 Australian Open and won her third Grand Slam singles title in front of her home crowd. However, she bid farewell to her tennis career soon after. Kyrgios carried on the Aussie flair in singles, reaching his maiden Grand Slam singles final at Wimbledon.

The 27-year-old is now undoubtedly the 'player to watch out for' as Australian fans hope to see another local star become the Australian Open singles champion. Tournament director Tiley believes Nick Kyrgios can certainly emulate Barty and just needs to be fit and enjoy all his matches as it tends to bring out his best.

"We would love to see Nick do well. For us, it's just day-by-day and him staying healthy, enjoying the competition," Tiley said, according to ABC News.

"I believe if Nick comes out and has some fun while he's doing it, and has an opportunity to play his best tennis, that would be great," he added.

At the 2023 Australian Open, Kyrgios will also aim to become the first Australian man to win the singles title in 47 years. Mark Edmondson was the last Australian to win the men's singles title back in 1976.

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Craig Tiley hails Nick Kyrgios' "significant achievement" in 2022 season

Nick Kyrgios celebrates during the 2022 US Open.

2022 was one of Nick Kyrgios' most successful seasons in both singles and doubles in his career so far. He started the season by winning his maiden Grand Slam doubles title at the Australian Open, partnering with Thanasi Kokkinakis. Kyrgios won a total of three doubles titles all season and also qualified for the ATP Finals with Kokkinakis.

The current World No. 22 won 37 of his 47 singles matches all season, including his title-winning run at the Citi Open, to go along with his runner-up finish at the Wimbledon Championships.

Craig Tiley lauded Kyrgios for the same and believes reaching the Wimbledon final and having a stellar season overall was "significant" on the Australian's part.

"Reaching the Wimbledon final [and] having the year that he had is a significant achievement," Tiley expressed.

Kyrgios warmed up for the Australian Summer of Tennis by participating in the recently-concluded World Tennis League. He will now officially start his 2023 season at the United Cup, where he is scheduled to face Great Britain's Cam Norrie first up on Thursday.