Alex de Minaur's brutal response after Nick Kyrgios withdrawal from United Cup

Alex de Minaur is officially sick of talking about Nick Kyrgios. The Aussie star was in no mood to discuss Kyrgios on Wednesday after his compatriot shocked the tennis world with his last-minute withdrawal from the United Cup.

Kyrgios was supposed to spearhead Australia's campaign in the new mixed-gender team event, with the Aussies set to take on Great Britain and Spain in pool matches. However news emerged on Wednesday afternoon that Kyrgios had withdrawn, citing an ankle injury he'd picked up at a recent exhibition event in Dubai.

HUGE CALL: Australia Open boss on Ash Barty and Nick Kyrgios

HE'S BACK: Novak Djokovic makes secret return to Australia

The United Cup was shaping as the first time Kyrgios would play for Australia in a team event in three years. He hasn't played Davis Cup since 2019 and skipped the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.

De Minaur, who recently revealed he tried to convince Kyrgios to play the Davis Cup finals - in which Australia eventually finished runner-up to Canada - was asked about his withdrawal on Wednesday. However the World No.22 wasn't in much of a mood for it.

“You know, I think it would be great if we just talk about this great team, we are all here, we are all happy to be here, we are about to play an exciting new event, something new for all of us, the United Cup," he shot back at a reporter. “Let’s talk about that, it is exciting. Everyone here is excited to play so we are just going to have fun, it is a great team around us and we are just happy to be here.

"Ultimately we're just going to get ready. We've got a great team and we're all going to be out there doing our best. So ultimately the only thing that changes is match-ups and that's about it."

The Aussie team, which also consists of Jason Kubler, John Peers, Ajla Tomljanovic, Zoe Hives and captain Sam Stosur, found out about 10 minutes before a press conference on Wednesday that Kyrgios had pulled out. Stosur said: "Like 'Demon' said, we just move forward now. We're all happy to be here and keen to get out there.

"Now that (Kyrgios news) is out there and we move forward with the placings of the team and do our best on the day. As far as the men's side of this team goes, we're in very capable hands still.

"So I'm not concerned that our chances have just diminished greatly or anything like that. We're out here to do everything we can possible to try and win this competition."

Stefanos Tsitsipas not surprised by Nick Kyrgios withdrawal

World No.4 Stefanos Tsitsipas, who will lead Greece's team at the United Cup, said he wasn't the least bit surprised that Kyrgios had pulled out. Tsitsipas had a verbal bust-up with Kyrgios after an ill-tempered clash at Wimbledon this year won by the Aussie.

"I don't see it as a surprise. I hope he enjoys his holidays," Tsitsipas said in Perth. Tsitsipas and Kyrgios recently teamed up for a doubles match in Dubai, with the Greek star suggesting he didn't really enjoy the experience.

“It was tough to concentrate for sure,” he said. “I don’t know where that energy comes from. There’s just so much of it.

“You want to go about your thing, you want to concentrate on your half of the court, and there’s just noise coming from the other side of it. It is distracting, it’s not easy. For sure in the future, having to face that at some point again, that is something that will have to be at its best in order to overcome that sort of obstacle that is presented on the other side of the net.”

with AAP

Click here to sign up to our newsletter for all the latest and breaking stories from Australia and around the world.