Nick Kyrgios has kickstarted his latest comeback with a straight-sets win over world No 36 Corentin Moutet in the first round of the ATP event in Stuttgart. The Australian, once ranked No 13 in the world, had not played a singles match since appearing at the Brisbane International in January, when he lost in 66 minutes to world No 58 Aleksandar Kovacevic. Having missed the entire 2024 season, he has won just one singles match since October 2022.
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At the Wimbledon warm-up event in Germany on Tuesday, 31-year-old Kyrgios wound back the clock with powerful serves and a smattering of showmanship, with drop shots and tweeners helping to take down Frenchman Moutet 6-3, 6-4 in a match that lasted less than an hour.
Kyrgios said post-match that he was delighted to be back on court after having doubted his continued participation in top-level tennis. "I had a wrist reconstruction, I've had four knee surgeries, so I'm really battling, but at the same time I've put in a lot of work, I'm really feeling good about myself," he said. "Honestly, there were so many times I was thinking: 'Why am I playing? What more do I need to do?' And I look at you guys and this is why I'm playing, so I'll hang around a little longer. I'm pleased with the way I played today, I'm pleased with the way I'm feeling in my body, I've been putting in a lot of work so I'm just really happy to be back."
A previous attempted comeback ended with mixed doubles defeat and the quick exit of the "Special Ks" from the Australian Open, where he and partner Thanasi Kokkinakis went out in the first round to fellow Australians Jason Kubler and Marc Polmans. After that defeat, Kyrgios said he would re-evaluate what his schedule looks like. "I've done everything I thought I could do. I don't know. I don't know what I'm going to do [going forward]." His comments led to questions as to whether his time in the sport had come to an end.
Those questions were answered, for now at least, after Kyrgios made a winning return to the world circuit in the build-up to Wimbledon, where he reached the final in 2022. A good showing on the grass in Stuttgart could put him in the frame for a wildcard in SW19. "I'm so thrilled to be back, and playing some high-level tennis as well," he said. "Confident? I don't know if that is a word I'm feeling quite yet. Obviously, I will see how I feel tomorrow."
He will next play Japan's Sho Shimabukuro, ranked 101, on Thursday, after a doubles match with partner Alexander Bublik on Wednesday.
