The tennis season is back in full swing, and players are gearing up to bring their A-game. But let’s face it—while the excitement is palpable, not everyone is starting the year on equal footing. Challenges, setbacks, and uncertainties are still part of the game, and one player facing the brunt of it is Australia’s Nick Kyrgios. As the new season unfolds, the Aussie star has shared a worrying update about his professional future, leaving many concerned.

The Australian tennis sensation is taking a break after his Brisbane International campaign, where he played his last match in the doubles category alongside Novak Djokovic. The duo, despite being resilient and fierce, faced a defeat at the hands of Michael Venus and Nikola Mektic in the Round of 16 clash. Now, Kyrgios seems to be taking some rest ahead of his participation in the first Grand Slam of the year. But what caught the attention was his emotional admission about his career. 

Kyrgios engaged in a Q&A session with his fans on Instagram. However, when a fan quizzed if his wrist is good enough at the moment to participate in the Australian Open, Kyrgios shared a concerning take. “My wrist will never be the same. But I can manage it – it all really depends on how much pain I want to deal with,” he said. Remember, the Aussie’s challenge started after he fell in a match against Grigor Dimitrov at Indian Wells back in 2015 and sprained his wrist. While the repercussions were not extreme immediately, his woes intensified over the years. To add to his challenges, he also faced knee surgery in January 2023. But while he returned to action soon, he could not sustain for long and played his last match at the Stuttgart Open in 2023. While he remained engaged in off-court activities like commentary and brand deals, he eventually made a comeback on the courts only this season. 

Kyrgios also underwent surgery on his wrist. While he felt much better after the same, his latest confession reveals that his challenges are not over just yet. Detailing further about it, Kyrgios wrote, “Thiem & Delpo understand my pain 😕.” Dominic Thiem and Juan Martin Del Potro have faced similar concerns with their wrists. While Del Potro sustained an injury after winning the US Open in 2009 that caused him immense trouble throughout his career, Thiem broke his wrist in 2021 while playing against Adrian Mannarino. However, Kyrgios is determined to prove his determination. “I will do my best- my level is still there!” he further added. Point to note- this is not the first time when Kyrgios has opened up about his challenges recently. 

“I felt like I had been hit by a bus yesterday after doubles, to be honest. I was on the treatment table for an hour and a half before bed. But we know that’s how it’s going to be,” the Aussie star revealed while talking to the press in Brisbane. But interestingly, Kyrgios seems to have found his motivation which is keeping him engaged even in the face of adversity. 

“Something is keeping me around” – Nick Kyrgios revealed the reason behind his dedicated comeback

Nick Kyrgios’ challenges witnessed him staying away from the courts for almost 18 months. While immense pain and innumerable challenges he faced as a result of it continuously kept him on the back foot, Kyrgios was determined to return to action and had a special motivation behind doing so. 

Detailing the same in an interaction with News Corp’s Code Sports podcast in October 2024, he wished to shut his doubters. “I am coming back because something is keeping me around the game,” Kyrgios said. “I have beaten pretty much every person that has been put in front of me, made a final of a Grand Slam, won a doubles title in a Grand Slam, won multiple titles and made money.” he added. He further shared that the only thing missing from his list of achievements is winning a major title and that would serve as his motivation. 

“I think the one thing that is now on my target is a Grand Slam. I think that will be the only thing that will shut people up at the end of the day. That’ll be my deep motivation,” Kyrgios shared. But with his persistent challenge, it would be interesting to see how far can Kyrgios go in chasing his goals. While fans are rallying behind him with support, the question remains: will Kyrgios find a way to overcome these obstacles and reclaim his spot among tennis’ elite?