Nick Kyrgios has only played one match in two years, but Pat Rafter believes he could still make a splash at the Australian Open. He tried to come back at the 2023 Stuttgart Open, but it didn’t go well. His hopes for Wimbledon were dashed too.
For two years, wrist and ankle injuries kept him off the court. During his lone match in Stuttgart, knee pain made it hard for him to move. That knee issue healed over time, but his wrist injury almost ended everything. A surgeon warned him that there was just a 15% chance he’d play professional tennis again.
Luckily, the surgery worked wonders! Kyrgios is set to return to the ATP Tour at the start of 2025 during the Brisbane International as he gears up for the Australian Open. Fans might wonder if he can finally win a Grand Slam and prove everyone wrong.
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Header Text: The Road Ahead
Kyrgios has always been seen as someone who could win big titles because of his amazing serve and skills on the court. Despite not winning a major title before his injuries sidelined him, some think calling him an underachiever is unfair given all he’s overcome outside tennis.
Rafter knows Kyrgios well since he was Australia’s Davis Cup captain when Kyrgios first played in 2013 at just 18 years old. Rafter isn’t sure how Kyrgios will perform after such a long break from tennis but believes counting out someone with Nick’s talent would be foolish.
“You’d never write anyone off with Nick’s talent,” Rafter said to AAP. “It’s pretty amazing… I have no expectations or understanding about how he’ll perform.”
“He’s got a massive game,” Rafter continued. “But can he keep it together? Can his body hold up? Can he keep his mind together? Those are probably his really big hurdles.”
Rafter thinks it’s hard to say what will happen when Kyrgios returns to competition: “If you go there to see him play, it will be interesting… My expectation is there is none.”
He added that whether Kyrgios reaches quarterfinals or semifinals—or loses early—nothing would surprise him anymore.
What do you think about Nick’s chances?
