Nick Kyrgios is definitely a player who knows how to stir the pot. Beyond his fiery on-court antics, the Aussie has earned a reputation as tennis’s “bad boy.” His sharp wit and unfiltered opinions often land him front-page headlines. During his one-year hiatus, Kyrgios even stepped into commentary roles at the Australian Open and Wimbledon, working with ESPN and BBC—that’s a big achievement! But this year, things took a different turn, and he wasn’t thrilled.

Kyrgios made a rocky comeback this season after recovering from wrist and ankle injuries that kept him out all of 2024. He’s won just one of five matches and pulled out of several tournaments, including Wimbledon, where he hasn’t played since his 2022 final loss to Novak Djokovic. He hoped to return to the commentator’s booth but was replaced by Chris Eubanks. Unfazed, Kyrgios told The Guardian it’s “probably their loss more than mine,” taking a jab by pointing out his unique insights from beating Federer, Nadal, Murray, and Djokovic multiple times—an edge Eubanks, according to him, lacks.

This sparked rumors of a rivalry with the American player. But Nick Kyrgios set the record straight on X on June 23, writing, “The media makes me laugh honestly 😂 low key have always enjoyed Eubanks as a commentator, always going to spin what I say and turn it into some sort of rivalry or friction 😂 I think if we were on the same panel, would be beneficial to the sport 😂 tennis is weird.”

Eubanks quickly responded, clearing the air. He confirmed he won’t be part of the BBC’s Wimbledon broadcast team this year. On X, he wrote, “All jokes aside… I will not be working with BBC at Wimbledon this year. As far as I know, my team hasn’t even spoken to anyone from BBC so I’m not sure where that came from.” The rumors clearly caught him off guard. Instead, he’s focused on the thrill of competing at SW19 again.

Kyrgios, however, won’t be there. He pulled out of the Wimbledon doubles tournament. On June 3, he shared on Instagram, “Just wanted to give everyone a quick update – I’ve hit a small setback in my recovery and unfortunately won’t make it back for grass season this year.” It was a tough call, leaving many fans disappointed. Though he hasn’t played at the tournament for two years, the tournament still holds a special place in his heart despite the devastating loss.

Nick Kyrgios opens up about his close call at Wimbledon

Wimbledon has always been a wild ride for the Aussie. While the tournament is known for tradition and decorum, Kyrgios flips the script with moments of dark despair and bright magic. He said reaching the final made him feel like he truly “belonged” at that level, something he hadn’t fully felt before despite his talent. It took him nearly 10 years to get there. After the final, he felt a “release,” like a weight lifted off his shoulders, even admitting that winning might have zapped some of his motivation.

In a rare moment of reflection, Nick Kyrgios admitted, “I was not in a good place and I reacted to a difficult situation in a way I deeply regret. I know it wasn’t OK and I’m sincerely sorry for the hurt I caused.” After the 2022 final, he faced a lawsuit for asking the umpire to eject a spectator who shouted just before his serve.

Still, Kyrgios stands by his near-win against Djokovic. “Definitely. It was only a couple of points here and there where, if I’d acted a bit differently, I would have had a Wimbledon title. But there’s no shame in losing to the greatest of all time. Do I think about it often? Yes. Do I think about what I could have changed? Yes. Could I have prepared better? No. I prepared amazingly.”

Not to mention, he can’t stay away. On June 24, he’s bringing his podcast, Good Trouble, live to the New Wimbledon Theatre. His podcast has hosted big names like Mike Tyson, Naomi Osaka, Matthew McConaughey, and Djokovic. He always kicks off by asking guests what “good trouble” means.

For him, it’s about “shaking things up, not always doing things the way we’re taught. The one thing that stands out for me, being a tennis player in a Roger Federer-esque sport where you fit into a mold, is that I’ve gone against the grain my whole career. I’ve definitely shaken things up and done it my way.”

Now, with Nick Kyrgios sitting out the grass season again, the big question is what’s next for this Aussie firecracker. Will he rise above the drama and come back stronger, ready to chase that elusive title? The buzz is real. Share your thoughts in the comments below!