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A teary-eyed Nick Kyrgios walked away from the court after a wrist injury forced him to retire midway through the first round of the Indian Wells Masters on Thursday, March 6. The Australian was aiming for a comeback after a surgery on his injured wrist kept him on the sidelines for the 2024 season.
However, things did not go according to plan, and now the future of the Australian hotshot is under question.
Ahead of his match against Botic van de Zandschulp, a video of Kyrgios grimacing in pain during one of the training sessions surfaced. The 29-year-old said he was unsure about his participation at the BNP Paribas Open, but decided to go ahead with it, sporting an athletic tape wrapped around his right wrist for more protection, but to no avail.
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With the season heading into his most congested period, Kyrgios's future is in question. The Australian looked far off from being his usual competitive self on the singles court during his match against Botic Van De Zandschulp.
Teary-eyed Nick Kyrgios hit with stark reality at the Indian Wells
There was a wave of expectation when Nick Kyrgios took to the court at Indian Wells. The two-time quarterfinalist at the Californian desert was aiming for a comeback after almost 18 months away from tennis. However, there was always a cloud of uncertainty about his future.
In the past, players such as Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray have suffered major injuries that take a lot of time to recover from. Even after recovery, it is tough for players to adjust to the demands of the game and regain their form, which has been the case with Kyrgios, who worked hard on his fitness to prepare for the Indian Wells 2025 after his Australian Open disappointment.
However, a striking pain in his dodgy wrist during the second set all but confirmed Kyrgios' worst fears. The former World No. 13 looked inconsolable as he received on court treatment during his match against Zandschulp.
Kyrgios waved to the fans after the match, unaware if he would return to the event next year.
During the post-match interview, the 29-year-old admitted that he is unsure about what the future holds amid another injury setback.
Nick Kyrgios will likely hang up his boots in 2025
Speaking to the media after his premature exit from the Masters event, Nick Kyrgios admitted that he could never reach the level of 2022. The Aussie enjoyed his best personal season during the year, reaching the final of the Wimbledon Championships after winning the Australian Open doubles earlier that season.
His Wimbledon final run was followed by a title win in Washington before a wrist injury halted his progress.
Kyrgios labelled his wrist injury as the 'biggest challenge of his career', however, a bigger challenge now awaits the Australian. Mounting a comeback from his surgery, just for his wrist injury to relapse will be a huge mental block to overcome. While he is guaranteed to be out from the Miami Masters, Kyrgios' French Open participation is in doubt as well.
"I guess this process has been probably one of the biggest challenges I've faced in my life. Reality, it's not too bad, but for my tennis career, it's by far the biggest," Kyrgios said.
Kyrgios has enjoyed success on the grass courts, with a 66.23% win ratio. He admitted that he loves playing at Wimbledon, and retiring after the Wimbledon Championships this year could be on the cards for the Australian, but everything depends on how his wrists react to the recent setback.
Apart from his wrist injury, Kyrgios suffered an abdominal injury ahead of the Australian Open this year. He was supposed to face Novak Djokovic in an exhibition match before the tournament but withdrew due to injury.
Aside from his injury issues, in 2023, Nick Kyrgios made a candid admission of the toll the injuries had taken on him, paving way for more retirement speculation.
"If it was up to me, I don't really want to play anymore to be honest. I have to almost [keep playing]. I've got so much more to give but, for me, I don't feel like playing anymore," Kyrgios told the On Purpose with Jay Shetty podcast (as quoted by The Guardian).
His tearful goodbye at the Indian Wells suggested that the Australian wants to offer more to the game. However, if his recent injury history is any indication, Kyrgios may be approaching the end of his playing career, which could inevitably end before the start of next season.
