“Will be playing the grass and UTS events” - Nick Kyrgios outlines 2026 plans with grass a firm target

Nick Kyrgios looks set to be returning to tennis in what has been teased for some time after a number of exhibitions competed in over the past few months. Tactically, he will be targeting a return to the grass season while confirming in a Q&A that he will be featuring in the Ultimate Tennis Showdown tournaments.

The Aussie has been plagued with so many injuries over the past few years, describing his knee as 'cooked' while also suffering with an arm problem which contunied to hold him back and prevent him from competing on the court.

Kyrgios was on top of the world back in 2022, reaching the final of Wimbledon and backing it up with a run to the quarterfinals in the US Open. He could not repeat the success on court or build his momentum due to those aforementioned injury problems.

He attempted returning at the start of 2025 Down Under and ventured into the Sunshine swing with limited success. He would then not return until the DC Open which was his final ATP event of the year. What would follow is a bunch of events competed on the exhibition circuit, most famously the contentious Battle of the Sexes against Aryna Sabalenka.

This saw him make a return to the big time at the Brisbane International in singles and doubles. He was not picked as a wildcard for the Australian Open due to physical and fitness concerns. Most recently, he was involved in the MGM Slam, losing at the first stage to Alexander Bublik. The 30-year-old has now planned his return to tennis.

On Instagram, Kyrgios opened the floor for some questions from his 4.4 million followers. One fan took the microphone and asked, "You gonna compete on tour again?” Kyrgios answered, “Will be playing the grass and UTS events.”

This opens up when he will be making a return to the court, and it makes sense that he is doing it like this. Never having been a fan of clay, Kyrgios has not competed in the French Open since 2017, preferring to go back home to Australia.

Grass, however, is a totally different story. He has stated that it is his favourite surface, although just one final has been made on it - Wimbledon 2022, when he lost to a rampant Novak Djokovic. The grass swing is a very short period in the yearly calendar, but a period that Kyrgios will be looking to capitalise on in 2026.

He will be going into it with zero points on his ranking. Currently the world number 751, he boasts 40 points next to his name. However, 30 of them were from the Miami Open, and 10 were earned at Indian Wells last year. When March turns to April, those points would have come off, and he would be on nothing.

Adding to that, he will be continuing his journey in the exhibition circuit as he looks for success on the Ultimate Tennis Showdown (UTS). The fast-paced event, run by legendary coach Patrick Mouratoglou, is different from your stereotypical ATP event and is a popular one among the players.

A number of events will be held throughout the year, starting in Nimes, France, from April 3-4. Players will compete in these, looking to book their spot in the UTS Grand Final in London from December 5-7. Kyrgios will be very much hoping to get to this stage and even challenge for the overall title. 'The Demon' Alex de Minaur took home the spoils in 2025, with Kyrgios looking to back that success up with more Aussie success.