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Nick Kyrgios' girlfriend at centre of tennis star's huge announcement

Pictured here, Nick Kyrgios and his girlfriend Costeen Hatzi cuddle up next to one another.
Nick Kyrgios says his girlfriend Costeen Hatzi is largely behind his decision to return to the French Open in 2023. Pic: Instagram

Nick Kyrgios has revealed that he will finally end his self-imposed French Open exile and return to the famed clay of Roland Garros - all in the name of love.

The outspoken Aussie has made no secret of his dislike for the red clay of Paris and is once again skipping the year's second grand slam in 2022.

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However, the 26-year-old says his girlfriend Costeen Hatzi has helped convince him to return for the French grand slam in 2023.

Speaking to tennis reporter Blair Henley, the Aussie revealed that Hatzi's desire to see Paris was a huge influencing factor in the decision.

“Next year I am going to go to Paris. I’m announcing that now, I’m going to the French Open,” Kyrgios told tennis reporter and host Blair Henley.

“I haven’t played that in four years so I’ll be back next year.

“My girlfriend just wants to see Paris. I mean, I’ll play the French Open as well.”

Kyrgios hasn't played on his least favourite surface at Roland Garros since being knocked out of the second round by South African Kevin Anderson in 2017, meaning it will be six years by the time he returns in 2023.

When asked why he opted to skip this year's French Open - beginning next month - the Aussie said he'd already made plans with Hatzi to return home to spend time with family in Australia.

“We already decided to go home and have that time. We’re just working towards that. Time at home’s crucial because they next trip is for three months and the time at home is so valuable,” Kyrgios said.

“Especially being from Australia, you get homesick very quickly and we’re both very family-orientated, so we have to make sure that season remains tight.”

Nick Kyrgios and Costeen Hatzi went public with their relationship before the 2022 Australian Open. Image: Instagram/Getty
Nick Kyrgios and Costeen Hatzi went public with their relationship before the 2022 Australian Open. Image: Instagram/Getty

Kyrgios and Hatzi went public with their new relationship in the lead-up to the Australian Open, with Hatzi seen supporting her man during his matches at Melbourne Park.

Hatzi was frequently spotted watching from the stands as Kyrgios teamed up with Thanasi Kokkinakis to win the Australian Open doubles title.

The loved-up couple shared a hug and kiss on court as Kyrgios and Kokkinakis celebrated their maiden grand slam doubles triumph.

Details emerged in February that Kyrgios was considering moving from his Canberra home to Sydney so he could be closer to Hatzi, with the tennis star admitting to Stellar Magazine that long-distance relationships hadn't worked for him in the past.

This photo shows Nick Kyrgios and Costeen Hatzi hoding hands at the 2022 Australian Open.
Nick Kyrgios and Costeen Hatzi celebrate his Australian Open doubles triumph. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

“Relationships are easy when both people are invested,” he told Stellar Magazine.

“It’s hard to move a couch on your own. I have had a couple past relationships that are brutal when you’re away from them for so long. It does affect you when you’re on the court.

“The luxury I have now in my career is that I’m able to provide for the person and if they want to travel with me they can.

“I’m in a very blessed situation that not many people are able to do. Hopefully everything works out but I don’t plan anything anymore.”

A recent Instagram post hinted that Hatzi is fully-invested in Kyrgios and wants to follow him around the world on the ATP tour.

“We have serious amounts of fun,” he wrote. "Cant wait to go around the world with you.”

Nick Kyrgios out of pocket $47k for Miami outburst

Kyrgios was last week slapped with a whopping $US35,000 ($A47,000) fine his explosive outburst at the recently completed Miami Open.

In scenes described as "disgraceful" by many tennis fans, Kyrgios angrily berated a chair umpire and received a game penalty after a number of code violations in a straight-sets loss to Jannik Sinner.

After repeatedly criticising umpire Carlos Bernardes for failing to control the crowd at the Masters 1000 tournament on Tuesday, Kyrgios received a point penalty in the first set tiebreak for telling a friend in the stands he could do a better job officiating the match.

The Australian then received a game penalty - putting Italian Sinner up a break at the start of the second set - after repeatedly yelling, "What is unsportsmanlike?" to Bernardes, and then walked to his bench, where he whacked his racquet repeatedly against his bag and the court.

The ATP slapped Kyrgios with a $US5,000 fine for audible obscenity, as well as $US10,000 for unsportsmanlike conduct and $US20,000 for verbal abuse.

Asked after the match about his behaviour, Kyrgios defended his character while taking another swipe at the umpire.

"He's not even going to get a slap on the wrist for his dreadful umpiring performance today. Like, he was horrendous," the Australian said.

The huge fine from Miami marks the second time in less than a month that Kyrgios has been reprimanded for bad behaviour on the court.

He was also hit with a $25,000 ($A33,000) at Indian Wells earlier in March after losing his temper in a quarter-final to Rafael Nadal, after which he smashed his racquet to the ground and it bounced up and almost hit a ball boy.

with agencies

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