Nick Kyrgios has sounded alarm bells over his fitness ahead of this week’s BNP Paribas Open, after the Aussie star looked in agony and had to cut a practice session short on Tuesday.
The 29-year-old is due to play Botic van de Zandschulp on Thursday in the opening round of the tournament.
But it seems issues with his right wrist are continuing to plague the Aussie tennis firebrand as he makes his first ATP Tour appearance since he voiced concerns over his future career following his first round exit at the Australian Open in January.
Kyrgios, who was practising against Japanese star Sho Shimabukuro, was seen in a video posted online by @Septimo_Game holding his wrist and dropping to his haunches.
The Australian perched himself against the back wall of the court before he was joined by two coaches, who spoke with him for several minutes before he walked to the centre of the court and shook hands with Shimabukuro.
His partner Costeen Hatzi was present on court for his practice session, with Kyrgios proceeding to sit down next to the social media influencer, cutting a dejected figure.
Hatzi appeared to speak several words to Kyrgios, who hung his head low as he held his strapped wrist.
Kyrgios, who has won seven ATP Tour titles, tore a ligament in his wrist in 2023 that forced him to pull out of Wimbledon and subsequently undergo surgery.
He would spend nearly 17 months out of action, returning to the ATP Tour at the Brisbane International in December, before being beaten by Jacob Fearnley at the opening round of the men’s singles at the Australian Open.
Despite doing all he could to return to the tennis court, the 29-year-old, who has previously admitted he had but a few years left playing at the top level, expressed concerns that the 2025 edition of the Australian Open could be his last appearance in the men’s singles event.
Following his opening round defeat at the Australian Open to Jacob Fearnley, a devastated Kyrgios said: ‘Realistically, I can’t really see myself playing singles again here.
‘So… It was special. I’ve taken that in. It was pretty good. I mean, yeah, I knew I had doubles and I was kind of taking everything in tonight, in those moments.’
‘It was nuts. But yeah, I didn’t want to just throw in the towel or walk off or retire.’
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