Nick Kyrgios’ comeback has been riddled with setbacks. After a year off following full wrist reconstruction surgery in September 2023, a knee injury ruled him out for the 2024 season. At the Brisbane International, he exited early in doubles with Novak Djokovic. Then, at the Australian Open, he lost in the first round to rising star Jacob Fearnley. His wrist flared up again during the Sunshine Double, forcing a first-round withdrawal. Though he reached the round of 64 in Miami singles, he lost and hasn’t played since. He announced a return to the French Open after eight years, but now that seems unlikely.

At the start of May, while the ATP tour settled into the clay courts in Rome, news broke that Kyrgios would head to Roland Garros after an eight-year absence. He planned to team up with fellow Australian Jordan Thompson in the men’s doubles. The 30-year-old, who last played at Roland Garros in 2017, was making this unexpected comeback amid injuries and limited singles play.

However, just days before the tournament and the draw release, First Serve AU on X reported Kyrgios had withdrawn from the French Open doubles. Thompson will now partner with Jason Kubler. So, what made Kyrgios decide to come back?

This year, Kyrgios has played just four singles matches, winning only once at the Miami Open in March. Initially, he wasn’t planning to compete on red clay, having last played Roland Garros eight years ago with a second-round loss in 2017. But when Jordan Thompson’s regular doubles partner Max Purcell faced a doping ban, Kyrgios changed his mind.

“The French Open was never really on the cards,” he told The Canberra Times. “But after the stuff with Max Purcell, Jordan was looking for a partner and he asked me if I wanted to play. We’ve played at the French Open before, so it’ll be good to get out there and play with another fellow Aussie and have a bit of fun.”

Nick Kyrgios remains a major draw at Grand Slams, thanks to his raw talent and unapologetic personality, though that same edge has sparked controversy. He returned to competition at the Australian Open this year through a protected ranking at No. 21. Currently, he sits at No. 636 in the ATP rankings.

There’s still uncertainty about his next tournament. But he was seen practicing at Arthur Ashe Stadium last month, giving hope for a return soon. A Grand Slam singles title continues to elude him, despite winning the 2022 Australian Open doubles crown with Thanasi Kokkinakis. He also reached the Wimbledon final in 2022 but lost to Novak Djokovic—a moment that left him shattered. Yet, his injuries have sidelined him even more.

Nick Kyrgios opens up about injuries impact on his career

On March 7, Nick stepped onto the Indian Wells court for his sixth time, facing off against Botic van de Zandschulp from the Netherlands in the round of 128. The first set was a nail-biter, ending in a tiebreak loss 7-6(3). But things quickly fell apart. Down 0-3 in the second, Kyrgios pulled out, sidelined by his nagging wrist injury. Just two days earlier, he’d cut practice short because of pain. He hoped to push through, but the injury had other plans.

After his tough exit from the BNP Paribas Open, Kyrgios spoke candidly at a March 7 press conference. When asked if injuries changed how he approaches tennis, he said, “I’ve never been a player to play all year round, but when I do play, it’s usually the best tournaments in the world. It’s the Grand Slams, it’s the Masters events, it’s the best 500s. I do enjoy playing.” He added, “When I had the surgery 18 months ago, if I really didn’t want to play, I didn’t have to rehab, I didn’t have to try and get back on the court.”

Was the withdrawal a tough pill to swallow? The Aussie didn’t hold back: “Yeah, it’s brutal, especially because I was having such a good year. I think that’s what is painful for me. And I think, you know, the coach I’m here with this week, my physio, I keep talking about that year, and it’s, like, you can’t expect that anymore. That’s I think for me what’s a bit heartbreaking just because I thought I’d figured it out.” At 29, he’s painfully aware of the ups and downs.

He also looked back on his standout 2022 season, when he nearly snagged his first Grand Slam singles title. “I had an amazing season, literally knocking on the door of a Grand Slam, and then you just get pulled right back.” That July, Kyrgios reached his first Slam final at Wimbledon but fell to Djokovic, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6.

Now, with the 2024 French Open behind him, the big question is: Will Nick Kyrgios bounce back at Wimbledon next month? What’s your take? Share below!