"I don’t think it’s really sunk in": Nick Kyrgios admits 'surreal' feeling after winning first professional tennis match in more than two years

Australia’s Nick Kyrgios has admitted that it was pretty ‘surreal’ to win a game of tennis finally. The 29-year-old was once regarded as Australia’s best player in men’s tennis in the singles category. He stamped his authority, especially in the 2022 season, where he finished as the runner-up at Wimbledon after losing to the former world number one Serbia’s Novak Djokovic with a score of 4–6, 6–3, 6–4, 7–6(7–3).

However, since then, things have remained very tough for the Canberra-born. Kyrgios suffered a serious wrist injury later in 2022, which ruled him out of action for nearly two years. He returned to the court at the end of 2024 but has struggled with fitness concerns.

Kyrgios is currently taking part in the Miami Open, where he defeated America’s Mackenzie McDonald with a score of 3-6, 6-3, 6-4. In over two years, it was his first win in professional tennis in the singles category. The former world number 13 was quoted in a report by The Tennis Channel, in which he admitted that it was a ‘surreal’ feeling to win a professional game of tennis finally.

“I’m not gonna lie, I was pretty close to crying on court,” he said. “I just think about the last two years, and it’s been pretty brutal to be honest. I was in a cast for 12 weeks, couldn’t move my wrist, and the surgeons were saying I’d never play again. And I was listening to a lot of the outside noise, you know, about whether I’d be able to play at this level, and win. Playing is one thing, but winning matches and executing is another thing. So yeah, I can’t believe it. I don’t think it’s sunk in yet—because I used to actually win a fair bit! So at the same time it feels normal. I don’t think it’s really sunk in that I was in a place where I couldn’t hit a fluffy tennis ball to now beating a solid player. It’s pretty surreal, but I know the tournament is not over and I haven’t won the tournament or anything.”