Nick Kyrgios withdrew from the Winston-Salem Open on Sunday evening due to a left knee injury before a scheduled first-round showdown against former World No. 1 Andy Murray. Murray will now play lucky loser Noah Rubin.

“I was in Florida, in Bradenton rehabbing and training and came here obviously excited to play here. I love the facility, it’s really great,” Kyrgios said. “To play Andy Murray, one of my good friends and a tennis icon would have been amazing, but obviously I have to look after my body.

“I just didn’t feel as if the risk was worth [playing] today. I’ve got to be more cautious with it, keep rehabbing, keep training.”

Kyrgios and Murray were set to clash for the seventh time in their ATP Head2Head series (Murray leads 5-1) and for the first time since the Aussie triumphed at The Queen’s Club in 2018.

“I feel when I play it’s a bit of a rarity these days and and to have someone like Andy going through what he’s gone through and to be back on Tour as well, I think this match was very hyped up,” Kyrgios said. “I was obviously excited to play him.”

Kyrgios, who said he has felt the left knee pain for about two weeks, was at IMG Academy in Florida to try to improve it. The 26-year-old most recently competed in Toronto, where he lost a three-setter in the first round against eventual finalist Reilly Opelka. The Aussie plans to play the US Open.

“I just need a bit more time,” Kyrgios said. “As a professional athlete playing on Tour for this long I want to look after my body, I want to do it right.”