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.” But reality hit hard at the Australian Open, where he suffered a first-round loss to Jacob Fearnley after an abdominal injury flared up. Determined to bounce back, Kyrgios took a month off to recover and has set his sights on Indian Wells. But just as things seemed to be looking up, his surgically repaired wrist acted up during practice on Wednesday, raising fresh concerns about his readiness. But has it deterred him?
Kyrgios entered Indian Wells using a protected ranking, eager for a fresh start and drawn to face Botic van de Zandschulp in the first round, with Novak Djokovic potentially awaiting in the next. However, concerns about his fitness resurfaced during a practice session with Japan’s Sho Shimabukuro. A video circulating on social media captured him grimacing in pain and clutching his wrist before halting the session altogether. The wrist, which had previously acted up in Brisbane during doubles with Djokovic is causing him trouble again.
Having been vocal about his injuries and struggles in the past, the Aussie once again opened up to Tennis Channel on Thursday, ahead of his match against van de Zandschulp tomorrow. 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?” His last title came in Washington in 2022, and his last match was at the Stuttgart Open in June 2023, since then, he’s faced back-to-back injury woes that have sidelined him from the court.
Despite a minor wrist injury in practice, Nick Kyrgios plans to hit the court for his IW opener against van de Zandschulp tomorrow at 1pm ET
Stream his 2025 Indian Wells debut & Nick’s potential round two encounter with Novak Djokovic on Tennis Channel pic.twitter.com/XmQ7LtjXBy
— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) March 5, 2025
He added that being a tennis player comes with these challenges that no one really asks for, but you have to brave the storm. “This is just the challenge in front of me, so I’ll do everything I can to be ready,” he emphasized. Additionally, he acknowledged his physical struggles, comparing his journey to those of Juan Martin del Potro, Dominic Thiem, and Kei Nishikori—players whose careers were deeply impacted by wrist injuries and remains determined to win again.
Now, 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 Aussies knows “that everyone’s capable; everyone can play such high-level tennis.” Remember, he once reached the Wimbledon final in 2022.
So who’s to say he can’t do it again? He certainly believes he can. 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. 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 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.”
Still, Kyrgios has made it clear he wants to end his career on his own terms—not dragged down by injuries like some of his peers. 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?
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