Nick Kyrgios ‘super excited’ about return to action

Shahida Jacobs
Nick Kyrgios during a match
Nick Kyrgios plays a shot

Nick Kyrgios has been putting in the hard yards over the past few months to regain full fitness after surgery and he is finally ready to get out and play again.

The Australian has been sidelined since November last year due to a knee injury with his last singles match coming at the Japan Open in October and his last doubles clash with Thanasi Kokkinakis at the ATP Finals in November.

However, being out injured had some benefits as he was able to spend more time with his family in Canberra and his return is now coinciding nicely with the start of the grass-court season.

Kyrgios will get his 2023 campaign underway against Wu Yibing in the first round of the Stuttgart Open on Tuesday.

“The grass season for me is always the best part of the year,” he said. “This year has been really tough for me, obviously recovering from knee surgery. I’m coming back at a tournament [where] I’ve done really well in the past, played some amazing matches. The crowd is always really supportive, and the atmosphere is really good.

“I’m super excited to be here again and to get out there and play the sport that I’ve been working so hard to get back to.”

The 28-year-old underwent knee surgery on the eve of the Australian Open and was initially only expected to be out for up to eight weeks, but his rehabilitation didn’t quite go according to plan. He then set his sights on a return at the French Open, but a foot injury also forced him to skip the clay-court Grand Slam.

But for now all that matters is that his knee is healed as he builds up to Wimbledon where he hopes to replicate last year’s performance when he finished runner-up to Novak Djokovic.

“I wouldn’t say it was major surgery, but I had quite a serious surgery on my knee,” he said. “It’s taken me about five months to get back to even playing, moving and [ready to play] against these players.

“It’s been difficult, but at times it’s been amazing just to be home with my family. Tennis is a sport where you travel so much of the year and being home, for me, was important. But seeing everyone [else] play wasn’t easy at times. I’m just super excited that my knee is a bit better and I’m able to play now.”

READ MORE: Thanasi Kokkinakis hopeful of Nick Kyrgios reunion at Wimbledon

Related Articles