Nick Kyrgios: "Be patient with me, I need more time to get back to where I was"

Nick Kyrgios' return to the tour after a seven-month long injury layoff ended in the first round of the Boss Open in Stuttgart.

Kyrgios last competed on the singles tour in October 2022, when he reached the quarterfinals of the Japan Open. The Australian withdrew from the tournament just minutes prior to his quarterfinal against Taylor Fritz due to soreness in his left knee. Earlier this year, the 28-year-old was forced to pull out of the Australian Open as he underwent a surgical procedure to repair a small tear in his lateral meniscus in January.

Kyrgios made his return to the tour at the Boss Open and took on Yibing Wu in his opening match. Despite serving 15 aces, the Australian appeared to be far from his best as he suffered a straight sets defeat, losing 5-7, 3-6. Kyrgios was unable to capitalize on a crucial break point in the first set and was subsequently outplayed in the second.

Following his defeat, Kyrgios took to social media and appealed for patience from his fans who are eager to see the Australian return to his previous level of play.

"Be patient with me my fans please…. It’s a process to get back to where I was. I know it’s hard for you to see me perform like today, but I need more time and hopefully can get back to where I was," Nick Kyrgios tweeted.

“The grass season for me is always the best part of the year" - Nick Kyrgios

Nick Kyrgios in the Wimbledon 2022 final

Prior to his tournament opener at the Boss Open in Stuttgart, Nick Kyrgios disclosed his fondness for the grass-court season, stating that it is the highlight of his year. He expressed his excitement at being back on tour after all his hard work to get back regain his fitness.

“The grass season for me is always the best part of the year,” Nick Kyrgios said. “I’m super excited to be here again and to get out there and play the sport that I’ve been working so hard to get back to.”

The World No. 25 also provided an update on the state of his knee following the surgery in January. The 28-year-old stated that it had taken five months for him to get back to moving freely on the court.

“I wouldn’t say it was major surgery, but I had quite a serious surgery on my knee. It's taken me about five months to get back to even playing, moving and [ready to play] against these players," he said.

Kyrgios expressed his excitement at the improvement in the condition of his knee.

"I’m just super excited that my knee is a bit better and I’m able to play now," he added.

With Wimbledon 2023 looming on the horizon, Nick Kyrgios will be hoping to regain his form in time to defend his run to the finals from last year.