Nick Kyrgios is gearing up for a highly anticipated return to the ATP Tour, but he acknowledges that his comeback may not be met with universal excitement from his fellow players. Despite the challenges and uncertainty surrounding his recovery from multiple injuries, the Australian tennis star is focused on one thing: achieving his comeback goals and reclaiming his place at the top of the sport.
Kyrgios, who has long been known for his explosive game and larger-than-life personality, experienced a career-defining 2022 season that placed him firmly among the best players in the world. That year, he reached his first-ever Grand Slam singles final at Wimbledon, showcasing his talent with several notable victories over top-10 players. However, just as Kyrgios was enjoying his best form, he was struck by a knee injury that forced him to miss much of 2023. This setback, which occurred just before the start of the season, was only the beginning of a series of unfortunate events for Kyrgios.
After playing only one tournament in mid-2023, he was sidelined by a serious wrist injury that required surgery. The injury was a devastating blow to the Australian, and the recovery process has been long and challenging. Now, with a full year of recovery behind him, Kyrgios is preparing to make his official return to the Tour in the first week of the 2025 season at the Brisbane International, a tournament that holds special significance for him as a homecoming event.
Reflecting on his comeback, Kyrgios admitted that he doesn’t expect all of his peers to be thrilled about his return to the sport. “Whether a player wants me to come back or not, I don’t think there will be too many happy faces seeing me back on the tour,” the seven-time ATP titleholder said. “I had a lot of friends, and also a lot of people that didn’t get along with me, which I think is completely normal in sport. And I think the tennis world needs a bit more of that.” Kyrgios is well aware of the polarizing effect he has had on the tennis world, but he remains unapologetic about his personality and his approach to the game. For him, what matters most is not the opinions of others but the pursuit of his goals and his personal journey back to the top.
In the aftermath of his wrist surgery, Kyrgios revealed some harrowing details about the extent of the damage to his hand. He shared that there were “four holes in my hand” and that, for a time, he feared the worst. The simple act of doing basic things became a struggle during the recovery process. “It was a 15% miracle chance that I was going to get back to playing at this level,” Kyrgios remarked, emphasizing the gravity of the injury and the long road he has traveled to return to full fitness. However, despite the daunting odds, he remains optimistic and determined to come back stronger.
One player who has inspired Kyrgios throughout his recovery is former world No. 3 Dominic Thiem, who also battled a serious wrist injury in 2021. Thiem, who had his own struggles with a return to the sport, serves as a reminder to Kyrgios that comebacks are possible. “I think people whom I have drawn inspiration from, someone like Dominic Thiem, he also went through a major surgery, and his one wasn’t as severe as mine. To see him getting to a challenging level and playing some Grand Slams was a bonus. I wanna get back and win some big matches,” Kyrgios explained. While Thiem may not have returned to his pre-injury level, his perseverance in the face of adversity has motivated Kyrgios to push through his own challenges.
In addition to drawing inspiration from Thiem, Kyrgios also found a key source of motivation from none other than Novak Djokovic, who has become one of the most successful players in tennis history. During this year’s Wimbledon, Kyrgios had the opportunity to practice with Djokovic, and their conversation afterward left a lasting impact on him. “I was hitting with Novak, and when he said to me, ‘It doesn’t look like you’ve had surgery,’ that was a big motivation,” Kyrgios recalled. “Maybe I’m actually making some inroads and some progress into getting back because I didn’t really know. That was a big drive for me. If he didn’t say that, I don’t know if I would have been motivated and if I would have kept pushing on the thought, but that was definitely a big part of the journey when he said that to me.” For Kyrgios, Djokovic’s words were a game-changer, reinforcing the belief that his comeback was possible and fueling his determination to keep pushing forward.
As Kyrgios prepares to return to action at the Brisbane International, the excitement surrounding his comeback is palpable. After more than a year of uncertainty and setbacks, he is finally ready to step back onto the court. “Honestly, this is probably the best I’ve felt in two years,” Kyrgios said in a recent interview. “I played that amazing year in 2022, then at the finals in Wimbledon and the US Open, that’s when I started feeling some issues in my wrist. I had that wrist reconstruction, and now I’m feeling amazing.” His optimism is evident, and he is eager to make up for lost time. “To get back out there in front of the home fans is going to be sick. I am feeling fit and healthy, and I am excited for my return to tennis following some time out of the sport,” he added.
As Kyrgios embarks on this next phase of his career, he has set some ambitious goals. One of his primary objectives is to win a Grand Slam title. Despite the setbacks and challenges he has faced, Kyrgios has always believed in his ability to compete with the best in the world. However, to achieve this goal, he knows that staying healthy will be crucial. “To even think about winning a Grand Slam, I need to stay healthy,” Kyrgios said. “That’s my biggest goal—to stay injury-free and take things one step at a time.”
For Kyrgios, the road to a Grand Slam title will not be easy, but his resilience and determination are undeniable. He has already proven that he can compete at the highest level, and with the right mindset and continued physical progress, he could very well be a force to be reckoned with when he returns to the ATP Tour in 2025. As the tennis world watches eagerly, Kyrgios is on a mission to prove that he is far from done.