Recent rumors suggest Nick Kyrgios’ long awaited return to tennis at US Open 2024

Back in January this year, injury problems forced Kyrgios to declare that he wouldn't be playing tennis anymore.

Recent rumors suggest Nick Kyrgios’ long awaited return to tennis at US Open 2024

Nick Kyrgios (Image via Imago)

Is Nick Kyrgios coming back to the tennis courts again? The Aussie bad boy has not played a match since his Stuttgart Open exit in 2023, his only match since October 2022. 

He ended up missing all four Grand Slam events last year due to injuries on his foot, knee, and wrist. But reports have come out that Kyrgios will be back ahead of the 2024 US Open for an exhibition event where the 29-year-old will be playing alongside four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka in a mixed doubles event. 

YouTube video

Other pairs will be Stefanos Tsitsipas–Paula Badosa, Ben Shelton–Coco Gauff, and Taylor Fritz–Aryna Sabalenka. The exhibition event called US Open Mixed Madness is slated to take place on August 20 at Arthur Ashe Stadium, and will be played before the main draw of the American Grand Slam event. 

FS Video

Back in January this year, injury problems forced Kyrgios to declare that he wouldn’t be playing tennis anymore, but he returned to the Australian Open not as a player but as a commentator for ESPN and Eurosport. Though he is a controversial figure in tennis, he received mixed reviews for his commentary, as many praised him for his knowledge of the technical side of the game. 

Naomi Osaka and Nick Kyrgios are close friends 

Naomi Osaka and Nick Kyrgios are close friends and the latter even became the first client of her agency, Evolve. In April this year, the former also appeared on the Aussie’s Good Trouble with Nick Kyrgios podcast. There she revealed how seeing him on TV used to make her feel as if she felt connected to him. 

Nick Kyrgios
Naomi Osaka, Nick Kyrgios (Images via Imago)
I've seen you on TV and around the scene and stuff…and I've always thought to myself, like, 'That's like my brother from a different universe,' you know? Because there are not a lot of melanated folks at tennis. So I just kind of feel an alliance sometimes. 
Naomi Osaka said on the Good Trouble with Nick Kyrgios podcast 

Having taken a mental health break, Osaka played her first match of the year at the Brisbane International, and last month, she got knocked out in the second round of Roland Garros by Iga Swiatek.

Osaka then played in the Libema Open (a WTA 250 event), followed by the Berlin Open. In ‘s-Hertogenbosch, the 26-year-old made it to the quarterfinals but lost in three sets to Canada’s Bianca Andreescu. Then in Berlin, China’s Qinwen Zheng eliminated her in three sets. 

In case you missed!