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Cape Town - Rafael Nadal sees no reason as to why Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios cannot become the top-ranked player in the world.
Kyrgios has shown a lot of potential, but his career has
been dogged by controversy after controversy.
Many have heavily criticised the 21-year-old, but Nadal has
chosen to overlook Kyrgios’ issues and feels that 2017 will be a great year for
him, especially as he is currently ranked a career-high 13th.
“Kyrgios is already at the top. (He is) a player who has an
unbelievable potential,” Nadal told . “He has focus on
himself, and can become world No. 1 and win a grand slam.”
Nadal has also been impressed with Australian youngster
Thanasi Kokkinakis and believes that he has the potential to be a major
competitor if he puts his injury woes behind him.
"In this new generation you will need to see how
Kokkinakis will evolve, he suffered an injury (shoulder) and we don't know how
he will come back, but he has the potential to be at the top," the
Spaniard said.
Nadal brought his season to an end in October due to a wrist
injury and he is ready to bounce back in the 2017 season, starting with the
Mubadala World Tennis Championship in Abu Dhabi on December 29.
"I'm practising (a lot), I am in the middle of the pre-season and at the moment everything is going well," he said. "I am willing to work and so far I (am managing) to do it."
