LIVE
...

Follow us on

News

Nick Kyrgios now explains how he sustained the injury that completely derailed his tennis career

Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images
Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images
Follow us on Google Discover

Nick Kyrgios enjoyed the best year of his career in 2022, but suffered a heartbreaking injury shortly after.

Playing the best tennis of his life, Kyrgios reached the Wimbledon final three years ago, losing out to Novak Djokovic in four sets.

Adding the Washington Open title to his resume in August, the Aussie soon headed to New York in a bid to win his first Grand Slam.

Losing out to Karen Khachanov in a five-set quarterfinal, Kyrgios hasn’t returned to the latter stages of a major since.

Nick Kyrgios looks on during the 2022 US Open
Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images

In fact, he has only played seven ATP Tour matches since losing to Khachanov, as he continues to struggle with injury.

Skipping this year’s US Open as he recovers from another setback, Kyrgios has now revealed how he sustained the injury that derailed his career.

Nick Kyrgios says his wrist ‘collapsed completely’ in Mallorca two years ago

During a sit-down interview with Alexander Bublik, Kyrgios recalled how he picked up the injury to his wrist that still affects him to this day.

“I was at the US Open, I remember I lost to [Karen] Khachanov in a big battle, like we had a monster, monster battle,” he said.

“I flew back to Australia to play some exhibitions, and then I felt some pain in my wrist, and I just kept playing, just pushing through.

“Then I was in Mallorca the following year. I pulled out of the Australian Open because of my knee surgery, and then my wrist [injury] happened.

“I was in Mallorca, I hit a forehand and that was it, that was the last time…my wrist just collapsed completely.”

Nick Kyrgios watching an NBL Blitz match in Canberra, Australia
Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images

Kyrgios admits it was ‘strange’ dealing with such a major injury off the back of his career-best year.

“It was the best year of my career. Not ranking-wise, but like I had an incredible run,” he said.

“Then I had my wrist surgery, and I got told by four surgeons when they looked at my wrist, they were like, ‘You’re probably not going to be able to play again’. No one had this wrist surgery before.

“I was having the best time of my life, and all of a sudden, I was having conversations that I may not ever play again, like it was strange.

“Within a couple of months, it was like I thought I had it figured out. I knew how to win matches, tournaments. I found what was working for me, and all of a sudden, it was like I couldn’t play. My wrist was so bad.”

All too familiar with how quickly things can change in tennis, the 30-year-old said he is happy to see Bublik enjoying success on the ATP Tour in 2025.

“It’s just all a crazy journey,” said Kyrgios.

“For you, that’s why I’m really happy to see you winning and playing and enjoying, because at any moment it can be taken away from you.

FinalTierSurfaceOpponentResultScore
Halle OpenATP 500GrassDaniil MedvedevWin6-3, 7-6
Swiss OpenATP 250ClayJuan Manuel CerundoloWin6-4, 4-6, 6-3
Austrian OpenATP 250ClayArthur CazauxWin6-4, 6-3
Alexander Bublik’s record in ATP Finals (2025)

“It takes one bad injury. You see guys like Dominic Thiem, who are amazing players, and it sucks to see him have to retire because of injuries.”

Kyrgios will be hoping he can avoid the same fate as Thiem, although it seems unlikely that he will ever return to the top of the men’s game.

Now ranked 651st in the world, the former Grand Slam finalist has won just one professional singles match in 2025.

Nick Kyrgios’ ATP Tour record in 2025

Making his return to tennis in Brisbane earlier this year, Kyrgios lost his first three matches of the season before picking up a rare win in Miami.

The Aussie has also played four matches in doubles this season, partnering up with Novak Djokovic [Brisbane], Thanasi Kokkinakis [Melbourne] and Gael Monfils [Washington].

Winning one of the four matches he’s played in doubles, Kyrgios has a combined 2-7 record in 2025 across the two disciplines.

Whether we will see him return to the ATP Tour in 2025 remains to be seen, although Kyrgios has announced his plans to play Aryna Sabalenka in a ‘battle of the sexes’ exhibition match in Hong Kong later this year.

The ‘Asian swing’ of the ATP Tour will begin upon the conclusion of the US Open.