NICK KYRGIOS has pulled out of the Australian Open with a painful knee injury as the Curse of Netflix strikes again.

The tennis maverick called a press conference at 4pm local time in Melbourne on the opening day of the Australian Open.

In front of a hastily-assembled audience of reporters, the world No.21 explained that he was simply not fit enough to play his home slam following the discovery of aparameniscal cyst growing in his left meniscus.

Physio Will Maher, who sat next to Kyrgios in the media appearance, said the player would undergo arthroscopic knee surgery but he was hopeful of a return to the circuit in Indian Wells in March.

It means he will not appear on Tuesday evening on the boisterous John Cain Arena against Russian Roman Safiullin, who will now face lucky loser Denis Kudla from the United States.

Kyrgios, who won the men’s doubles title here in 2022, said: “Obviously extremely disappointed. Honestly, I’m just exhausted from everything and obviously pretty brutal.

“One of the most important tournaments of my career. It hasn’t been easy at all.

“This coming around is just bad timing. But that’s  life. Injury is a part of the sport.

“I’m devastated obviously. It’s my home tournament. I’ve had some great memories here.

“All I can do now is just look forward, do what I need to do and come back.

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“When I finish a session or finish a match, it’s just constant throbbing.

“Barely had a good night’s sleep the last four, five nights. It’s just been throbbing.

“You can see on the side of my knee there’s a little lump. That lump will eventually just get bigger and bigger. There’s pressure on my knee, obviously hinders my movement.

“The only real way to get rid of it is to open up and then just get rid of it.”

It is a huge blow for tournament organisers, local fans and TV ratings – love him or loathe him, Kyrgios certainly gets people watching and engaged with the sport.

Kyrgios’s profile has increased immeasurably since the first five of 10 episodes of Netflix’s Break Point documentary dropped on the streaming service — he is the focus of the first show.

Yet he is now the FOURTH player involved in the filming to pull out of the Oz Open with a physical issue, following the disappointments experienced by Carlos Alcaraz (abdominal tear), Paula Badosa (thigh) and Ajla Tomljanovic (knee).

The 27-year-old has been managing a knee complaint since reaching the 2022 Wimbledon final where he lost to Novak Djokovic on Centre Court.

He has played just twice since losing at the US Open quarter-finals and abruptly pulled out of this month’s United Cup in Sydney due to an ankle injury.

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There had been smiles and jokes when he took on Djokovic in a charity fundraiser on the Rod Laver Arena on Friday evening but that particular excursion may have caused him further inflammation.

He may also be hit in the pocket with a hefty fine after he was photographed flouting road rules by riding an e-scooter in Melbourne with no helmet and along with his girlfriend Costeen Hatzi.

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