Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios has confirmed he will return to the court at the World Tennis League exhibition event in Abu Dhabi and the 2025 Brisbane International ahead of the Australian Open.
Once ranked as high as number 13 in the world, Kyrgios has played just one match on the ATP tour in the last two years, instead being forced to try his hand at commentary as he waited for injuries to heal.
While Kyrgios once claimed he would be retired by 30, the 29-year-old has made it clear this year that he has unfinished business and wants to win a grand slam, something he came close to achieving in his last shot at Wimbledon, losing the 2022 final to Novak Djokovic before making the quarter-finals of the 2022 US Open.
Since then, knee and wrist issues have derailed his career, with Kyrgios requiring a full wrist reconstruction.
Speaking to 9News, Kyrgios revealed he is feeling as good as he has in two years after at one point being given a 15 per cent chance of ever returning to the competitive circuit.
“Honestly, this is probably the best I've felt in two years,” he told 9News.
“I played that amazing year in 2022. Then at the finals in Wimbledon and US Open, that's when I started feeling some issues in my wrist. I had that wrist reconstruction and now I'm feeling amazing.
“It was a 15 miracle per cent chance that I was going to get back to playing at this level and here we are.
“To get back out there in front of the home fans is going to be sick.”
Kyrgios, who is now ranked well outside the top 100 in the world, will likely be able to enter the Australian Open via a protected ranking which is available to players who have been injured and unable to play for more than six months, however, Tennis Australia will likely grant him a wildcard if he is unsuccessful in gaining a protected ranking spot.