Nick Kyrgios has assured the tennis world he has overcome previous injury setbacks and will be ready for the Australian summer.
The former world No.13 hasn’t featured on the tour since losing to China’s Yibing Wu in straight sets at the Stuttgart Open dating back to June last year.
Since bowing out to Karen Khachanov at the 2022 US Open quarter-finals, the Canberra-born talent has undergone two knee surgeries and a wrist reconstruction, describing the rehabilitation process as brutal.
Last month, Kyrgios confirmed he will participate in January's Australian Open after endless doubts around whether he will ever compete again.
"Honestly, it's probably the best I've felt in about two years," Kyrgios told 9News Melbourne. “I had that wrist reconstruction and now I’m feeling amazing.
“It was a 15 miracle per cent chance that I was going to get back to playing at this level and here we are.
“It's been two years since I played in the Australian Open, so to get back out there again in front of the home fans is going to be so sick."
Kyrgios’ road to recovery has been met with its fair share of challenges, forced to essentially start from scratch.
"I honestly didn't feel improvement in my wrist," he said.
"I started hitting fluffy balls that [under-10s kids] learn on, so I had to start from there and basically learn how to use my right wrist all over again.”
2022 was a breakthrough season for Kyrgios, finishing runner-up at Wimbledon to Novak Djokovic and claiming the men’s doubles title at the Australian Open with Thanasi Kokkinakis.
The 29-year-old has unfinished business.
"I always wanted to leave the game of tennis on my own terms," Kyrgios said. "I wasn’t going to let this injury be the dictator of if I would ever play again."
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