Comeback trail: Nick Kyrgios secures first wildcard of the year after long-awaited return

Nick Kyrgios has secured a wildcard for his professional return to the courts, nine months after his last appearance. The former Wimbledon runner-up played just four tournaments in 2025, marking a total of merely five ATP Tour appearances over the last three seasons—a period plagued by injuries for the Australian.

The 30-year-old has spent the latter part of his career battling physical issues, with few Tour appearances after undergoing multiple surgeries in 2023 and 2024. The recovery process took nearly two years—during which he even contemplated retirement—though 2025 saw several setbacks that prevented him from maintaining consistency on Tour.

Kyrgios managed just one win all year, defeating Mackenzie McDonald at the Miami Open back in March. That was his last singles tournament of the season, although he made a brief doubles appearance in August at the DC Open alongside Gael Monfils, where they fell in the first round.

Just like in 2025, Kyrgios is gearing up for the upcoming season with an appearance at the Brisbane International to kick off the year, following the confirmation of a wildcard from the organizers.

While doubts remain about his participation in the Australian Open, Kyrgios is sending a signal to the organizers of the year's first Major that he is physically ready to compete. He is now awaiting an invitation from the Australian Open, which has not yet confirmed if it will grant a wildcard to the former World No. 13.

Earlier this year (Jan 2025), Kyrgios received a double invitation, participating in both singles and doubles. In singles, he fell in the first round to Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in a match decided by three tight tie-breaks. In doubles, he teamed up with 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic, winning their opener against Erler/Mies before falling in the Round of 16 to top seeds Mektic/Pavic.