MELBOURNE, Australia — The Australian Open saw Nick Kyrgios’ much-anticipated singles return end on a rather subdued note, with some uncertainty lingering about his future in the sport. After two years plagued by injuries and surgeries, the 2022 Wimbledon finalist faced an uphill battle against unseeded Jacob Fearnley, succumbing to a straight-sets defeat of 7-6 (3), 6-3, 7-6 (2) in less than two and a half hours. Throughout the match, Kyrgios demonstrated glimpses of his trademark powerful serves and entertaining trick shots that typically captivate the home crowd, yet his performance was hindered by a recent abdominal strain.

Following the match, Kyrgios expressed doubt about returning to compete in singles at the Australian Open in the future, although he intends to participate in doubles alongside his friend Thanasi Kokkinakis, with whom he previously won the tournament’s doubles title in 2022. “Realistically, I can’t really see myself probably playing singles again here,” Kyrgios admitted. However, some of his remarks might have been made in the heat of the moment.

At 29, coming to terms with the physical limitations of his body is a challenge for Kyrgios, who has seen success at the top level, boasting victories over tennis greats like Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic. He noted the difficulty of competing against top players while not being in optimal shape, stating, “When you’re competing for the biggest tournaments in the world and you’re struggling to win sets physically, it’s pretty tough.” Throughout 2023 and 2024, Kyrgios participated in only one singles match, undergoing wrist and knee surgeries during that period, with his last major competition having been the 2022 U.S. Open.

Kyrgios had only recently returned to the game before the Australian Open, holding a record of zero wins in singles and competing in two doubles matches alongside Djokovic. Unfortunately, he suffered an abdominal injury just before the tournament began. “I’m one of the biggest servers on tour and I’m getting out-served tonight,” he reflected, acknowledging that without his formidable serve, he was not a significant threat on the court. Despite feeling unwell and receiving attention from a trainer, he pushed through, motivated by the fans who came to see him play.

Kyrgios was keen to relish the atmosphere, especially considering it might be one of his last appearances in Melbourne. “I don’t know how many times I’m going to be back here again. That’s why I didn’t have headphones on; I wasn’t listening to music. I walked out there today (and) wanted to hear the crowd,” he shared. “There were some special moments.”

Facing Fearnley, a 23-year-old from Scotland who previously played college tennis at Texas Christian University, Kyrgios managed to hit fewer aces—17 to Fearnley’s 13—and had a slower average serve speed compared to his opponent. Fearnley expressed his admiration for Kyrgios, saying, “It was really cool to share the court with him. If that is his last match, I was glad I was able to play him before he went out. He’s obviously a massive name, someone on the court I have 100% looked up to.”