Brisbane will again be the launching pad for injury-marred tennis enigma Nick Kyrgios’ latest comeback – as well as his great mate Thanasi Kokkinakis.
Besides exhibition hit-and-giggles, including a “battle of the sexes” clash with women’s world No.1 Aryna Sabalenka in Dubai next Sunday, Kyrgios has not played a proper match since a straight-sets doubles loss alongside Gael Monfils at Washington in July.
Nick Kyrgios, pictured this month at The Garden Cup exhibition event, will start next year at the Brisbane International.Credit: Getty Images
The Brisbane International announced on Sunday that the 2022 Wimbledon runner-up and former world No.13 (now ranked No.673) had accepted a singles wildcard into the dual-gender event, which begins on January 4.
Kyrgios’ confirmed involvement provides a star power boost for a men’s draw headlined by Daniil Medvedev, Grigor Dimitrov, Frances Tiafoe and young gun Joao Fonseca. He has also committed to playing at the Kooyong Classic ahead of the Australian Open.
Kyrgios’ protected ranking expired on November 17, which is why he requires a wildcard to play.
“Nick has long been a favourite with Brisbane crowds, and will be a major drawcard for fans,” tournament director Cameron Pearson said. “He is a player who thrives on the big stage.”
Kyrgios’ most-recent singles hit-out was a 7-6 (7-3), 6-0 defeat to Russian Karen Khachanov at the Miami Masters in March – but his tour absence pales in comparison to last summer, when his Brisbane appearance was his first in 18 months.
The 30-year-old partnered Novak Djokovic in doubles in Brisbane 12 months ago, and will reprise his 2022 Australian Open doubles title-winning combination with Kokkinakis this time.
Like Kyrgios, Kokkinakis has struggled with injuries throughout his career. He will play for the first time since a self-confessed “risky” operation in February to fix a debilitating pectoral injury, where the surgeon transplanted the Achilles tendon from a deceased person into the tennis player’s right shoulder.
Kokkinakis will play doubles only in Brisbane but hopes to make his singles return in his home city of Adelaide a week later as a test before the Australian Open.
Thanasi Kokkinakis hopes to be on court more than at promotions in 2026.Credit: Alex Coppel
Kyrgios warned after playing under injury duress and losing in the first round at this year’s Open that he may never play at Melbourne Park again after suffering an abdominal strain on tournament eve.
“Realistically, I can’t really see myself probably playing singles here again,” Kyrgios said at the time.
“I tried to do the best I could with the state I was in physically. [It is] heartbreaking because I wanted to play well. I feel like my level’s there. Obviously, the timing of the abdominal strain is not ideal. But it is what it is.”
But Kyrgios announced his comeback bid last month, targeting his 11th Australian Open main draw appearance and revealing his body was in a much better place after a horror period since his career-best 2022 season.
A player who said a decade ago that “I don’t really like the sport of tennis that much” is trying to eke out as much of whatever is left in his professional career.
The evidence in the past three years suggests that Kyrgios’ off-court portfolio has far more upside than when he has a racquet in hand. However, one thing is for certain: there will be eyeballs on his every move this summer, which is why he will never lack for wildcards.
Kokkinakis, 29, retains commercial appeal, too, despite not having the same tennis success as Kyrgios, who he faced in the Australian Open boys’ final 12 years ago.
He admits he struggles with life on the tour and being away from home – on top of his horror injury run – while major injuries mid-career resulted in sponsors leaving him in droves. Kokkinakis’ brand has enjoyed a resurgence since he quipped in 2021 that he was wearing a “$6 Kmart special”.
Kokkinakis feared retirement unless he underwent this year’s revolutionary surgery, but does not expect to be playing near his best until mid-year.
“No tennis player has ever done it [and] a few surgeons didn’t want to do it, but I felt like I had to take a chance and bite the bullet if I want to have a crack at the rest of my career,” Kokkinakis told Channel Nine’s Today.
“This is my toughest injury I’ve had yet, and will be my toughest recovery. I’m still optimistic, so I’m hopeful that I’ve made the right decision, but it hasn’t been easy …
“It was at a do-or-die point, and I was like, ‘I can’t keep going like this’. It was mental torture.”
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