As Nick Kyrgios was announcing his withdrawal from the Australian Open, his physiotherapist flagged the tennis star had "some pretty gruesome photos" from a surgical procedure on his injured knee.
WARNING: This story contains images some readers may find disturbing.
Knowing Kyrgios's penchant for posting to social media, physio Will Maher said: "I'm sure he'll probably share them later."
And share them he has, mere hours after Australia's top-ranked player made the miserable announcement that he would miss his home major.
"I'm devastated, obviously. It's like my home tournament. I've had some great memories here.
"Obviously, last year winning the title in doubles and playing the best tennis of my life probably, then going into this event as one of the favourites, it's brutal."
Fair warning, the photo Kyrgios shared on his Instagram stories is not fo faint hearts or weak stomachs, so — and we don't advise this often — but here is your chance to close this window.
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OK. If you are still here, you're ready to see something nasty.
Ready? OK.
Yep. You can't say you weren't warned.
According to Kyrgios, that is "a little insight into what was in [his] knee" that was removed during a fenestration and drainage procedure.
Maher said that, in the procedure, a syringe is used "to try [to] drain the cyst" on Kyrgios's knee caused by a small tear in his lateral meniscus.
Kyrgios is the second top-ranked Australian to be forced out of the Australian Open, with Ajla Tomljanović also pulling out due to a knee injury a few days prior.
And, while local fans are mourning the departures, the withdrawal of Wimbledon finalist Kyrgios opens up his section of the draw, with Russian Roman Safiullin now facing American lucky loser Denis Kudla in the first round.
Kyrgios had been on a collision course with exciting 19-year-old Dane Holger Rune, who burst into the men's top 10 with a run to the French Open quarterfinals and his first three ATP titles last year.
