Nick Kyrgios dispels retirement doubts, set to play on in 2027 despite suspension and Wimbledon goodbye
ATP
After a period that saw Nick Kyrgios banned from the sport for cocaine use and seem to signal the end of his career at Wimbledon, it seems he will continue to play despite that.
Kyrgios is preparing for another tennis comeback it seems with the Australian confirmed to participate in the Kooyong Classic in January 2027.
The 31-year-old experienced a difficult period in his career since reaching the final of Wimbledon back in 2022. He spent the second half of the 2026 season away from competitive tennis.
Where does Kyrgios go from here?
But he will at the very least return home to compete in an exhibition if not in competitive action scheduled between January 12-14 in Melbourne. The competition will give him an opportunity to test his game before the Australian Open if he does manage to get a spot in the Grand Slam tournament.
Some other familiar names are also expected to play in Kooyong with Lorenzo Musetti, Arthur Fils, Karen Khachanov, Matteo Berrettini and Learner Tien set to be involved. Paula Badosa has been announced for the women's field.
The Kooyong Classic is an exhibition instead of a traditional tournament, but it has attracted players preparing for the first Grand Slam tournament of the season. The Australian Open main draw begins on January 17.
Kyrgios has been completely absent from the biggest tennis tournaments over the last years with his physical problems preventing him from playing regularly adding to the fact he served a suspension for cocaine. One that no doubt would've seen the future of Kyrgios even more in doubt due to the fact that he has often spoke out about others failing drug tests and then he fails one himself.
But he also said that he believed it would be the final time he would play at Wimbledon also after teaming with Alexander Bublik in the doubles. "I would probably say pretty confidently my last Wimbledon," he said. "I was looking around and taking everything in. It was tough. It would be hard to see myself coming back here again and competing."
Read also
"That final was always going to be one of the better memories of my tennis career, but I just can't see myself getting back to anywhere near that level."
Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
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