Australia's best hope for home grand slam win under injury cloud

The health of Australia's Nick Kyrgios remains under question after the 14th seed ended a practice session early on Sunday, a blow to the host nation's chances of winning their home grand slam.

Clouds have surrounded Kyrgios all summer, struggling with a knee injury for which the pain is managed by cortisone patches, though new, possibly related issues have come to light.

"I cannot move my back or my hamstring," Kyrgios said to his practice opponent on Sunday.

"(I'm) serving in the middle of the net."

The two were in a practice tie breaker, of which his opponent won, causing Kyrgios to toss his racket onto the ground. Soon after, the group of four players - which included Australian up and comer Jordan Thompson - packed up and left.

Xinhua reporter noted however Kyrgios had not warmed up for the scrimmage, apart from practice serves when the media group arrived, instead just wanting to "get on with it" .

Kyrgios told reporters on Saturday the "four or five" treatments he had on his knee were "massive improvements" and that it was "feeling really good", lifting his own Australian Open campaign expectations despite a relatively sedate lead up.

"I've never been a player to play many tournaments before a Grand Slam, I like to come in pretty fresh," Kyrgios said.

"So my expectations are high, I still feel like I can do some major damage and get to the second week and really cause some upsets."

The injury concerns are a blow for Australia's chances of keeping the Australian Open trophy on home soil, with the 14th seed the host's highest ranked player, followed by 27th seed Bernard Tomic as the next best ranked men's, while Samantha Stosur - who hasn't won a match in five months - at 18 in the women's draw.

Australia haven't held the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup aloft since Mark Edmonson defeated fellow compatriot John Newcombe in 1976. Australia's Chris O' Neill was the last female champion to lift the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup on home soil in 1978.

"Obviously I'd love (to hold the trophy)" at the end of the tournament, Stosur, a former U.S. Open champion, told reporters on Sunday in response to being asked if it was the 15th time lucky for her to win the Australian Open.

"I guess we'll see what happens after the first round, then if I' m here for the second one we'll talk about it then, then the third, the fourth," Stosur said.

"Look, everybody would like to be in that position by the end of the tournament."

Australia's best chance to regain the title was when Leyton Hewitt was downed in four sets by Russia's Marat Safin in 2005, though once play begins on Monday, anything could happen. Enditem