Nick Kyrgios Returns to Court After Long Injury Break

Washington, D.C. – Australian tennis player Nick Kyrgios made his long-awaited return to the court on Monday, participating in his first match since March. Kyrgios teamed up with French veteran Gaël Monfils in the men’s doubles at the ATP Tour’s DC Open, but the duo faced a tough challenge from the third-seeded pair of Édouard Roger-Vasselin and Hugo Nys.

The match, which lasted almost an hour, ended in disappointment for Kyrgios and Monfils as they lost 6-2, 6-2. Despite holding his own in his first service match, Monfils struggled early, with both players experiencing breaks at crucial moments. Kyrgios was seen limping and grabbing at his knee throughout the match, raising concerns about his ongoing injury issues.

“Knee cooked but fans still fucked with us,” Kyrgios posted on Instagram after the match. His return is significant, as he last played at Wimbledon in 2022, where he reached the final. His previous doubles appearance was at the Australian Open in January.

Kyrgios has dealt with wrist injuries, but he did secure his first singles win since 2022 against McKenzie McDonald earlier this year. Currently ranked 640th in ATP standings, Kyrgios is utilizing his protected ranking of 21 to enter the US Open later this month. “I wanted to play singles, but six weeks ago I had a bit of a niggle with my knee,” he said. “So it’s just going to take a bit more time.”

Earlier in the day, Australian Chris O’Connell fell short against American Ethan Quinn, losing 6-3, 6-2. Fellow Australians Alex de Minaur and Alexei Popyrin received first-round byes at the ATP 500 event.

In women’s singles, Australia’s Maya Joint faced Canadian Leylah Fernandez, losing 6-3, 6-3. Despite the setback, Joint heads to the US Open with high expectations following a strong season.

The DC Open also saw several top players, including Carlos Alcaraz, withdraw from the Canadian Open later this week due to injury concerns. Alcaraz expressed regret over missing the tournament, while other top players including Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner also opted out as they focus on recovery ahead of the US Open.