Nick Kyrgios comeback dream put into stark perspective by former Wimbledon champion
Former Wimbledon champion Pat Cash has cast doubts over Nick Kyrgios’ ability to compete at the top of the men’s game as he prepares to make his return to competitive tennis.
The 2022 Wimbledon finalist has only played one match on the ATP Tour in the last two years, but he has confirmed he will make his return to action in Brisbane next month.
He then plans to compete at the Australian Open and will play doubles in that tournament with his close friend Thanasi Kokkinakis for what he has suggested will be ‘one last time’.
With injuries halting his career for so long, Kyrgios will pull off something of a sporting miracle if he makes a successful return to the game and 1987 Wimbledon champion Cash has told Tennis365 that fitness will be the big barrier to his ambitions.
“I actually haven’t paid too much attention to his comeback, but Nick is certainly talented and can do anything if he is fit,” Cash told us in his role as an ambassador for the Bank of China Hong Kong Open 2025.
“He’s been out for two years and that’s a long time. He needs to be super-fit to get through matches back-to-back.
“Over three sets, he will probably be okay to do it, but can he do it over five sets in a Grand Slam?
“He’s always had the ability, but it is issues with his mind and his body that have held him back.
“It’s good that he’s playing. There’s nothing worse than being injured and I have known enough about that in my career.
“Look, let’s see how Nick goes. The talent is there, but you would question the physical side of it in longer matches when you have been out for so long.”
Kokkinakis told Tennis365 earlier this month that he was set to revive his 2022 Australian Open winning partnership in Melbourne next month as he spoke to us at the UTS Grand Final in London about Kyrgios’s return to competitive action.
“He played great in the UTS New York event (in August) and hopefully we can have him back on the tour in January,” said Kokkinakis.
“Tennis has missed him and I’m sure the Aussie public would love to get behind him again.
“It’s tough when you have been out of the game for so long as you never know how your level is going to be when you start playing matches.
“I’m sure his level will be great because he has been ready to play for a while now. I have no doubts he will be in good form. Motivation is such a big thing in tennis and I’m sure he will be hungry to come back and play again.”
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The reunion of that potent doubles partnership has now been confirmed to be part of Kyrgios’ comeback after he made several suggestions that he would not return to competitive tennis as his business interest expanded into podcasts and high-profile broadcasting roles, the controversial Aussie has insisted he is now ready to return.
“I am coming back because something is keeping me around the game,” he 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.
“But 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.
“Honestly, this is probably the best I’ve felt in two years. I always have wanted to leave the game of tennis myself. I wasn’t going to let this injury be the dictator of if I would ever play again.”
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