Nick Kyrgios provides fitness update after suffering injury scare ahead of Indian Wells

Former World No.13 Nick Kyrgios is a two-time quarterfinalist at Indian Wells, having reached the last eight in 2017 and 2022.

Nick Kyrgios provides fitness update after suffering injury scare ahead of Indian Wells

Nick Kyrgios (Image via X/Swish Tennis)

Nick Kyrgios is all set to play his first tournament since this year’s Australian Open. He will be playing singles in the ongoing Indian Wells and will be kick-starting his campaign against Botic van de Zandschulp.

Ahead of the tournament, however, Kyrgios suffered an injury scare. He was scheduled to practice on Sunday but didn’t show up. But when he was practicing with Japan’s Sho Shimabukuro, Kyrgios stopped playing for a while to hold his right wrist.

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He underwent surgery on his right wrist and it affected him during this year’s Brisbane International where Kyrgios also made his much-awaited return. Amid uncertainty over his Indian Wells participation, Kyrgios made his feelings clear about his return.

Look I was feeling great, I actually just practiced for an hour, and second, to last point, I actually felt my wrist a little bit. I mean it seems to be that point where I can’t really catch a break at the moment with my body, but these are just things you have to navigate. You know we’re all navigating different things in our lives and these are just the challenges in front of me, so I’ll do everything I can to be ready.

Nick Kyrgios told Tennis TV

The Indian Wells Open will be the 29-year-old’s third tournament of the season following the Brisbane International and Australian Open. He lost to Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in the first round in Brisbane, while in Melbourne, Jacob Fearnley knocked him out of the first round.

Nick Kyrgios could face Novak Djokovic in Indian Wells second round

Nick Kyrgios is a two-time quarterfinalist in the ATP 1000 tournament in the Californian desert. He made his debut in 2015 and reached the last eight in 2017 and 2022.

Novak Djokovic and Nick Kyrgios
Novak Djokovic and Nick Kyrgios (via X)

Kyrgios will be up against a player who has defeated top players in important tournaments. It was 85th ranked Botic van de Zandschulp, who was the reason behind Carlos Alcaraz‘s elimination from the 2024 US Open second round.

Zandschulp then beat Rafael Nadal in the Spaniard’s last professional match of his career in last year’s Davis Cup Finals. The upcoming match will be the Dutchman’s first clash with Kyrgios.

If the 2022 Wimbledon finalist reaches the second round, he will be locking horns with five-time Indian Wells champion Novak Djokovic. The 24-time Grand Slam champion, like Kyrgios, is struggling due to injury woes as he’s yet to win a title since emerging victorious in the 2023 ATP Finals.