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Nick Kyrgios has confirmed his return to tennis after a lengthy absence, making his comeback at UTS, New York. The Australian has been sidelined since his first-round defeat to Wu Yibing at the 2023 Stuttgart Open.
UTS (Ultimate Tennis Showdown) is a tennis tournament founded by Serena Williams' ex-coach Patrick Mouratoglou and Alexei Popyrin's father, Alex Popyrin. Unlike traditional tennis, UTS features a modified scoring system, matches divided into timed quarters, and the use of 'cards' that can influence gameplay
Kyrgios is set to make his long-awaited return to tennis at UTS in New York. He will take on Casper Ruud on August 22.
"Hey guys, it's NK here. I just want to inform everyone that keeps up with the UTS or tennis fan out there that I will be competing on the 22nd August at Forest Hill Stadium in New York," Nick Kyrgios said via an Instagram story.
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The 2022 Wimbledon runner-up said that his body was ready to compete against the best players in the world. He hilariously asked his opponent, Ruud, to take it easy on him.
"I know it's been a long time but my body is finally ready to get back out there and have some fun. I'll see if I am still able to go against some of the best players in the world starting off with my old rival, Casper Ruud. Casper, please take it easy on me. I can't wait to be out there competing in front of all the amazing fans hopefully I can still bring some life to the sport," he stated.
In another Instagram story, Kyrgios reflected on the challenging 11 months, admitting uncertainty about his return. He, however, revealed that his competitive spirit prevailed. He also shared a video of him playing tennis as a kid.
"Young Kyrgios- the last 11 months was brutal. Genuinely though I wasn't ever gonna play again. But this raw athlete doesn't give up. you feel me," he wrote.
Nick Kyrgios: "Two surgeries over the past year and a half after being so close to a Grand slam"
Nick Kyrgios has experienced numerous highs and lows throughout his career, often interrupted by injuries. Recently, the Australian tennis star opened up about the challenges of the past few months, which included undergoing two surgeries.
"When I look at this photo, it reminds me of the struggle that I’ve been going through lately, 2 surgeries over the past year and a half after being so close to a Grand slam," he wrote.
The 29-year-old stated that he wasn't giving up and was instead looking on the bright side. He mentioned that being sidelined had opened doors to new opportunities he wouldn't have otherwise experienced.
"Let this be a reminder that I’m not giving up, I’m taking this process day by day and it’s allowed me to take full advantage of other amazing things in my life, opportunities I would never of known if I hadn’t gotten injured," he added.
Kyrgios produced his best performance in 2022 when he reached the Wimbledon final, where he ultimately lost to Novak Djokovic.
