Nick Kyrgios’ injury troubles seem relentless. After a year-long hiatus due to knee, foot, and wrist injuries, the Aussie returned to the court with optimism, declaring, “Honestly, this is probably the best I’ve felt in two years.” Now let’s recall: Kyrgios is pumped for the Australian Open, ready to make a statement. Then, boom, the abdominal injury hits, and he’s out early to Jacob Fearnley. Rough. So, he’s like, ‘Right, I need a month to sort this out,’ and heads to Indian Wells. Using that protected ranking, he’s got Botic Van de Zandschulp first, and maybe even a Djokovic showdown after that. But then, in practice with Sho Shimabukuro, that wrist starts acting up again. Seriously? But is he gonna let that stop him?

A video circulating online captured the moment he stopped practice, visibly in pain and holding his wrist. This is the same wrist that bothered him during a doubles match with Djokovic in Brisbane, indicating a recurrence of the injury. Known for his candidness about his physical struggles, the Australian discussed his condition with the Tennis Channel on Thursday, ahead of his match against van de Zandschulp.

Noting that he can’t “catch a break” and perhaps it’s not going to be an easy run post-surgery, Kyrgios said, “Yeah, look, I was feeling great. I actually just practiced for an hour, and the last point, I actually felt my wrist a little bit, so it seems to be that point where I can’t really catch a break at the moment in my body, but it’s just things you have to navigate. You know we’re all navigating different things in our lives and these are just the challenges in front of me, so I’ll do everything I can to be ready.”

Recent years have seen numerous Grand Slam champions and top-10 players, such as Juan Martín del Potro, Dominic Thiem, and Kei Nishikori, undergo wrist surgery. Post-surgery, these athletes have often faced challenges in returning to their previous performance levels. Acknowledging the same, the 2022 Wimbledon finalist stated, “Del Potro, Thiem, and Nishikori… it takes time to get back at that level you once were at, and sometimes you might not ever reach it again. Thiem, for instance, was a Grand Slam champion, and yet, he struggled to make a dent on his return.” How will the Aussie’s story unfold?

He’s eager to make a mark at this year’s Indian Wells Masters, where he hasn’t competed since 2022. “I understand the challenge that’s in front of me. It’s almost a bit tougher now because I see the reality of how my wrist is,” Kyrgios admitted. However, keeping his head high, the Aussie knows “that everyone’s capable; everyone can play such high-level tennis.”

Regardless of who his opponent is, he’s looking forward to getting on the court and “have some fun.” It seems like, despite his injury woes, this Aussie knows how to persevere.

Kyrgios opening up about how his wrist injury affected him

Nick Kyrgios’ journey back to tennis has been nothing short of remarkable, filled with grit, frustration, and determination. Back in November 2024, he reflected on his recovery during an interview with 9News Melbourne, revealing the odds he faced: “It was a 15 percent miracle chance that I was going to get back to playing at this level, and here we are.” The Aussie star admitted that the road back was grueling, both physically and mentally. So, what kept him going?

His sheer will to leave the sport on his own terms. “I always have wanted to leave the game of tennis myself. I wasn’t going to let this injury be the dictator of if I would ever play again,” he said, underscoring his resolve. On the flip side, on Nothing Major podcast in December 2024, Kyrgios opened up about the fear of never returning.

“I’ve [had] major wrist surgery after 2022. I honestly felt I wasn’t going to play again. I was having pain in my wrist,” he shared. Comparing his situation to players like Dominic Thiem and Kei Nishikori, who struggled post-surgery, Kyrgios acknowledged the challenge: “I won’t be probably the same player that I was, but I didn’t want to go out after that amazing year…I mean you gotta be in shape to play Grand Slams…I feel pretty good.”

Speaking candidly about retirement, he said, “I look at how Andy Murray’s doing it now and how Rafael [Nadal] is going out. I don’t want to be like that either…I think the surgeries, the pain, it’s just not worth it.”

Now, as he gears up for Indian Wells—where he’s drawn against Botic Van de Zandschulp with Novak Djokovic potentially waiting in the next round—it’ll be fascinating to see if Kyrgios can channel his fire and make some noise once more on the court. What do you think?