Home player Nick Kyrgios has pulled out of the Australian Open due to a knee injury ©Getty Images

Home player Nick Kyrgios has pulled out of the Australian Open due to a knee injury, the tournament has announced.

The 27-year-old, runner-up at Wimbledon last year, admitted he was "extremely disappointed" to miss the season’s first grand slam event, now underway in Melbourne.

A routine MRI that was done after Kyrgios suffered discomfort in his knee revealed that he has a tear in his lateral meniscus and a cyst, his physiotherapist Will Maher explained.

"I’m devastated," he told a press conference.

"It's 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.

"Going into this event as one of the favourites, it's brutal.

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

"That's life - it's part of the sport.

"I'm not doubting that I'll be back to my full strength."

Nick Kyrgios, right, finished his charity match against Novak Djokovic on Friday night in pain from a knee injury that will prevent him contesting the Australian Open ©Getty Images
Nick Kyrgios, right, finished his charity match against Novak Djokovic on Friday night in pain from a knee injury that will prevent him contesting the Australian Open ©Getty Images

Kyrgios, ranked 21st in the world, will now head to his home city of Canberra for surgery on the injury in the next fortnight.

Maher claimedthe injury is not career-ending.

"It won’t interrupt his year tremendously, despite the fact it’s a great disappointment to withdraw from the Australian Open home slam," Maher said.

"The prognosis is good and he’ll be fine."

Maher added that the injury would have become worse had the star tried to play through it after his failure to recover after playing Novak Djokovic, seeking a 10th Australian Open title that would enable him to draw level with Rafa Nadal's record of 22 grand slam titles, in a charity match last Friday (January 13).

"We used the charity event against Novak to see if he could compete at the highest level," he said.

"He didn't pull up great."

Maher claimed that they expect Kyrgios to be able to compete at the Indian Wells tournament in March.

Kyrgios had already been struggling with an ankle injury which had led to him making a late withdrawal from the inaugural United Cup in December and prevented him from playing any warm-up events.

Denis Kudla of the United States will replace him in tomorrow's first- round match against Roman Safiullin.

His withdrawal is the latest in a series of blows for the Australian Open, which has already lost major drawcards Naomi Osaka, men's world number one Carlos Alcaraz, and Australia's best hope in the women's singles, Ajla Tomljanovic.