"Can Nick Kyrgios' mind hold together?" - Ex-US Open champ shares feelings on compatriot's Australian Open chances amid form & fitness uncertainty
Nick Kyrgios is finally set to return to the ATP tour and is eyeing tournaments in his home country for his comeback. The Australian is set to compete at his home Slam in 2025, and one former Australian tennis legend spoke about his compatriot's chances at the event after not playing tennis for the past two years.
Kyrgios missed nearly the entirety of the last two ATP tour seasons due to a string of injuries to his ankle, knee, and wrist after October 2022. The hiatus has rendered the Aussie with unranked status on the ATP ranking, a far cry from his year-end 2022 ranking of World No. 22.
The 29-year-old has now fully recovered from his injuries and is set to return to the professional circuit during the Australian hardcourt season of the 2025 ATP tour. Kyrgios will kick off his season at the Brisbane International, where he is a former champion, before jetting off to Melbourne for the year's first Grand Slam.
Many in the tennis world are excited to see one of the most talented players return to the court after a long battle with injuries. Australian tennis legend Pat Rafter recently shared his thoughts on Kyrgios' comeback in an interview with the Australian Associated Press. Rafter heaped praises on Kyrgios' talent and "massive game", pegging him to achieve great things at the Rod Laver Arena.
However, the two-time US Open champion believes Kyrgios' fortunes at the Australian Open will depend largely on his fitness, readiness to compete at the highest level, and mentality, especially after not playing tennis for so long.
“You’d never write anyone off with the talent that Nick has. It’s pretty amazing. I really don’t know what he’s done, though. A year and a half off the game … so it’s going to be interesting. I have no expectations or no understanding about how he is going to go,” Rafter said.
“He’s got a massive game. But then, can he keep it together? Can his body hold up? Can his mind hold together? They’re probably his really big hurdles, especially his body. If you don’t play competitively, God, it’s a completely different thing than to training. So I really don’t know what to expect from him. I think it’s all up in the air."
Rafter predicted that Nick Kyrgios could reach the semifinals of the 2025 Australian Open. But, the former World No. 1 won't be surprised if his fellow countryman, who has earned a spot in the singles entry list via a protected ranking, crashes out early.
“If you go there to see him play, it will be interesting to see. I don’t know quite what the expectation is from the pundits but my expectation is there is none. When I say there is no expectation, if he gets to the quarters, the semis, it wouldn’t surprise me. If he loses the first round, it wouldn’t surprise me. I don’t know," Rafter concluded.
Nick Kyrgios is a former Australian Open doubles champion
The Australian Open was the location of Nick Kyrgios' only Grand Slam title to date. Kyrgios, with his close mate Thanasi Kokkinakis, rode the home support wave to win the men's doubles title in Melbourne in 2022. They defeated compatriots Matthew Ebden and Max Purcell and became the first wildcards to win the Australian Open in the Open Era.
In the singles format, the Australian Open has not been a happy hunting ground for Kyrgios. His best performance at the tournament was a quarterfinal finish in 2015. In his last appearance at the event in 2022, he defeated Liam Broady before losing to eventual runner-up Daniil Medvedev in the second round.
While Nick Kyrgios is confirmed to feature in the singles main draw in Melbourne in January 2025, it is unclear if he will participate in the men's doubles. Before the title run at the Australian Open 2022, Kyrgios had only won one doubles match in Melbourne.