A month ago in Dubai, Nick Kyrgios was back in the spotlight after winning against world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in a heavily hyped exhibition that immediately stirred debate. Now, with a wildcard in hand for ATP Brisbane 2026, Kyrgios is gearing up for his official return, and at media day, the Australian peeled back the curtain on the brutal side of a comeback that rarely gets talked about.

“When you’re healthy, you’re literally just playing one match. You just get physio, you go back to your hotel … it’s pretty simple,” Kyrgios explained. “But when you’re not, you’re kind of load managing and you’re rehabbing and then you’re gymming and you’re doing conditioning and then you’re on court. You’re actually doing more.”

Despite his recent exhibition win over the world No. 1, Nick Kyrgios’ last few seasons have been defined by injuries rather than results. Ongoing issues with his knee, foot, and wrist have drastically limited his ability to compete, leaving him with just five professional matches last season. Those appearances came in Brisbane, the Australian Open, and Indian Wells, with his most recent tour-level match dating back to the Miami Open in March.

Kyrgios admitted that even without playing, life hasn’t slowed down. He described feeling like he’s been “on tour” despite rarely stepping on court, adding, “I feel like I’ve been on tour all the time, but I haven’t been, in a way.” That contradiction feeds into his unusual status in the sport, as he put it: “It’s funny, because I’m still one of the players we talk about the most, but I almost didn’t play a game.”

What stands out is Kyrgios’ motivation for returning. He made it clear that this comeback isn’t about money or image, saying he wants to do it for himself. “I want to prove to myself that I don’t need to play for money,” he said, explaining that his decision to compete is driven by the desire to fight and feel that competitive fire again.

In a moment that contrasts with his often polarizing reputation, Kyrgios also addressed the idea of wildcards with surprising honesty. He said he doesn’t want to take opportunities away from younger players if his body isn’t ready, especially those who have worked toward that chance.

“If I feel great and I feel I can play the Australian Open and really enjoy it, then yes,” Kyrgios explained. But he added that if he can’t deliver what fans expect, what he called “the Kyrgios experience”, he would rather step aside and let someone else have that moment.

Aware that he’s become as much a spectacle as a competitor, Kyrgios doesn’t want to arrive in Melbourne as a diminished version of himself. Still, when it comes to his controversial “Battle of the Sexes” exhibition, he showed no hesitation, suggesting he’d be open to doing it again if the moment calls for it.

Nick Kyrgios fires back with two-word message after Sabalenka’s claim

Ahead of her Brisbane International title defense, Aryna Sabalenka floated the idea of changing the format if there’s a rematch with Nick Kyrgios. “For the next match, we’ll come up with a different format… I think I would keep the full court for Nick, but I would take two serves. I think that would even our level a bit more,” Aryna Sabalenka said.

The idea quickly sparked reactions online. Tennis journalist Ben Rothenberg dismissed the possibility on X, calling the original match a “disaster” and questioning the need for a rematch. Ultimately, Nick Kyrgios didn’t hesitate to jump in, replying with just two words in all caps, “IM IN”, making his stance crystal clear.

For context, the original exhibition took place in Dubai’s Coca-Cola Arena, where Sabalenka’s side of the court was shortened by nine percent. Both players were also restricted to a single serve, a setup meant to echo the spirit of the original Battle of the Sexes.

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The experiment didn’t land well with many fans, who saw it as more gimmick than tribute. Still, Sabalenka showed fight despite the loss, and for both players, the night was ultimately about entertainment and creating buzz rather than pure competition.