Nick Kyrgios' potential return to the Australian Open remains one of the biggest unanswered questions ahead of the new season. The tournament director Craig Tiley offered no assurances regarding a wild card entry for the former Wimbledon finalist.
The Aussie has not completed since March. He scored his only victory of the season in Miami before falling to Karen Khachanov in the second round. It remains the most recent official match for the Canberra native.
The 2022 Wimbledon finalist has played only six matches since October 2022, struggling with injuries and raising doubts about his physical readiness and competitive sharpness.
The 30-year-old battled against Tommy Paul in an exhibition a couple of days ago. However, his path back to Melbourne Park is far from straightforward, at least for Tiley.
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Nick's protected ranking window has now expired. Thus, the Aussie would require a wild card to secure a place in the Australian Open main draw. While he stands as one of the biggest drawcards, there are no guarantees that we will see him in Melbourne.
The long layoff, limited match play and uncertainty surrounding his body have all contributed to a cautious approach from organizers. On the other hand, Kyrgios has always given his best at the home Major.
We could see that this January when he battled against Jacob Fearnley, refusing to retire despite experiencing physical issues and fighting until the end.
Form the tournament's perspective, Kyrgios' presence at Melbourne Park would undoubtedly boost attention andticket sales. However, the wild card will depend on his fitness in the upcoming weeks.
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Until the final decision, Australia's most polarizing tennis star remains in limbo - hopeful, but far from assured. Nick is 17-10 at the Australian Open, reaching the quarter-final in 2015 and failing to repeat that run ever since.
"I can not tell much about Nick at the moment - we will have to wait and see. He is playing again, which is good. He entered some warm-up tournaments, and I know he is eager to compete in Australia this summer.
That includes the Australian Open, but there's still a long way to go. If I remember correctly, he has passed the protected ranking period, so he will need a wild card to enter the draw," Craig Tiley said.
