Nick Kyrgios and Jannik Sinner have a tense rivalry on and off the court. The two have only played once, with the Italian defeating the Australian in straight sets at the 2022 Miami Open. Recently, Kyrgios has taken shots at Sinner on social media, criticizing the Italian star amid his doping scandal. The World No.1 would likely be one of the biggest challenges in the Australian’s comeback.

Kyrgios has announced that he plans to retire in less than 18 months. Speaking on the Nothing Major podcast, the 29-year-old said he is preparing for what could be the final chapter of his career. After playing only one tournament in two years due to injuries, he is ready to return to competition.

The Australian still dreams of winning a Grand Slam. He hopes to make a strong comeback and win the 2025 Australian Open. This would be a special achievement for Kyrgios, who has never won a singles Grand Slam in his career.

To prepare for his return, Kyrgios has already committed to playing the Brisbane International in January 2025. With a career record of 205-114 and a peak ranking of World No.13 in 2016, the 2022 Wimbledon runners-up wants to finish his career on a high note. However, facing top players like Sinner will be a major test.

Nick Kyrgios has admitted that he used to strongly dislike Rafael Nadal during their time on the tennis circuit. The Australian said seeing the Spaniard in the locker room would fill him with anger. Nadal, a 22-time Grand Slam champion, retired last month after playing his final match in the Davis Cup quarter-finals against the Netherlands. Kyrgios faced the left-hander nine times in his career, winning three of those matches.

Kyrgios first shocked Nadal at Wimbledon in 2014, which was his breakout tournament. He later defeated the Spaniard at the Cincinnati Open in 2017 and the Acapulco Open in 2019. Their rivalry wasn’t limited to the court. They had several off-court disagreements and publicly criticized each other.

After their match in Acapulco, Nadal commented on Kyrgios’ behavior. He said that the Australian was a good player but lacked respect for himself, his opponents, and the fans. These remarks highlighted the tension between the two throughout their careers.

Despite their clashes, Kyrgios expressed admiration for Nadal after his retirement. Speaking on the Nothing Major podcast, the 2022 Wimbledon runners-up said he felt a unique anger toward the 22-time Grand Slam champion that he didn’t experience against Roger Federer or Novak Djokovic. However, he still paid tribute to Nadal’s incredible career.