“There won’t be too many happy faces seeing me back on Tour”: Nick Kyrgios talks comeback and rival tension

Nick Kyrgios recently confirmed his return to the Tour at the Brisbane International, starting on December 29, as his preparation event for the Australian Open in mid-January. The former world No. 13 stated that not all of his peers will be pleased to see him back on the Tour.

The 29-year-old Australian has played just one match in the last two years, a first-round loss at the 2023 Stuttgart Open to Wu Yibin (5-7, 3-6). Since then, he has dealt with a knee injury and a torn ligament in his right wrist, keeping him away from the courts.

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During his absence, speculation arose about a possible retirement, which Kyrgios himself admitted to considering. However, his desire to compete remains alive, with a key motivational push coming from Novak Djokovic. "I hit with him for three days. I was only starting to serve then, and he was like, 'It doesn't look like you've had surgery, you're moving really well, you're playing really well,'" Kyrgios shared recently with Talk Sport.

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Kyrgios recently spoke on Tennis Australia’s The AO Show podcast, predicting a strong comeback to the courts with hopes of achieving significant wins. Still, the Australian believes not everyone will be thrilled to see him as a rival again: "Whether a player wants me to come back or not, I don't think there will be too many happy faces seeing me back on the Tour. I had a lot of friends and also a lot of people that didn't get along with me, which I think is completely normal in sport, and I think the tennis world needs a bit more of that."

He added: "I think people whom I have drawn inspiration from, someone like Dominic Thiem, he also went through major surgery, and his one wasn't as severe as mine. To see him getting to a challenging level and play some Grand Slams was a bonus. I want to get back and win some big matches."

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Just before beginning his Tour comeback, Kyrgios was confirmed for the upcoming World Tennis League, a team exhibition tournament set to take place in Abu Dhabi from December 19-22. It will mark his first competitive appearance (albeit not ATP-sanctioned), where he will team up with Stefanos Tsitsipas, Paula Badosa, and Jasmine Paolini.