It feels like we haven't seen the All-Australian bad boy Nick Kyrgios play meaningful tennis in three years. Well, it actually has been roughly that amount of time, as injuries have essentially kept the Aussie buried in the outback desert.
Whether you love him or hate him, Kyrgios is still one of the most talented and gifted players on the ATP Tour; he just doesn't always show it, or hasn't been able to show it lately. That said, it would appear that Kyrgios is jumping back into the thick of things, and he made his first appearance in Brisbane.
Kyrgios opened up his season in his homeland, and if you're going to restart your career, what better place than to do that on home soil? But it's not how or where Kyrgios starts the 2026 season; what's more important is how he progresses and finishes the season, and that might be the biggest toss-up of the year.
Nick Kyrgios must be on the court and remain healthy to sniff any sort of success in 2026
At one point, at the height of his prime and competitiveness, Kyrgios was a top 20-ranked player on the ATP Tour. He's ranked 670th today, so not so great. You would think that climbing back up the rankings to somewhere respectable and worthy of Kyrgios's talent would be a goal for this year — think again, because it shouldn't be.
Kyrgios must remain healthy and, in doing so, focus on staying on the court. That, and that alone, should be the focus. Playing matches and not skipping tournaments will be the only benefit to Kyrgios's return to tennis, and possibly even winning a few events. Climbing the rankings should not even be on Kyrgios' chalkboard to-do list.
Kyrgios started this year the right way (his 'Battle of the Sexes' match against Aryna Sabalenka not included) by entering the Brisbane International, playing in both the singles and doubles draw. Kyrgios fell in his first singles match, but won his first doubles match with fellow Aussie and friend Thanasi Kokkinakis.
Their doubles run ended on Wednesday, however, in the Round of 16 in three sets, closing the door on Kyrgios' run in the Queensland capital. But the point of playing in the event was not to win, necessarily, but for Kyrgios to get some wind beneath him before the season really gets going, at and after the Australian Open.
Again, Krygios has to get on the court, and the more he plays, the more matches he plays in singles or doubles, or both, is how Kyrgios can capture some measure of success this year. It's possible tennis fans have already seen the best of Kyrgios. Or, it's possible he has one last one to two-year stretch in him that sees him compete in Grand Slams as we've seen him do in the past.
Health will always be a factor for Kyrgios, no matter how much longer he commits to tennis. Right now, he looks healthy. Right now, he must be and stay on the court. That will be his make-or-break factor this year. It will be on his shoulders how seriously he wants to take it.