Nick Kyrgios has received a wildcard entry into the Brisbane International, a sign of his determination to play at the Australian Open.
Kyrgios will compete in the January 4-11 tournament in Queensland before being granted another possible wildcard for the grand slam in Melbourne.
Kyrgios, plagued by injuries and four rounds of knee and wrist surgeries, has played just six ATP Tour matches in more than three years.
The 2018 Brisbane International champion was today confirmed as a participant in the next edition of the tournament.
“Nick has long been a favorite with the Brisbane crowd and will be a great asset to the fans,” Brisbane International Tournament Director Cameron Pearson said in a statement.
“We are delighted to welcome him back to Brisbane and look forward to seeing him perform in front of a passionate audience.”
The 30-year-old will follow his appearance in Brisbane by competing in the Kooyong Classic round robin in Melbourne from January 13-15.
Australian Open organizers are expected to lock in all wildcards just before qualifying begins on January 12.
The former Wimbledon finalist said last month that he had training as well as his career-best year in 2022, when he lost the grass court final in London to Novak Djokovic in four sets and also reached the quarter-finals of the US Open.
“I don’t know if I should call it a miracle or something, but I feel like my knee has become a few years younger,” Kyrgios said.
“I really had no hope of ever being able to play AO or ever getting back to that point where I felt comfortable, competing and really letting my body run free.
“But something last month, I don’t know what it is. I was with my masseuse and my physio last night and something really changed with my knee.
“Like it’s not swelling, it’s not an unpleasant feeling after a session.”
Kyrgios is in the middle of a series of exhibition matches, including the so-called battle of the sexes against women’s world number one Aryna Sabalenka in Dubai on December 28.
PAA
