Nick Kyrgios was excited to be back on the tennis court after remaining on the sidelines for nearly two years. The ongoing Brisbane International was his first tournament since the 2023 Stuttgart Open.

And although he impressed the fans with his game, the wrist pain that he suffered during his match in a first-round match against Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard on Tuesday (December 31) left the Aussie in doubt about his participation at the Australian Open, which begins on January 12.

After losing the first set, the 29-year-old was in discomfort and had called for a medical timeout, during which he taped his wrist. The match lasted for two hours and 27 minutes with the Frenchman coming out on top in three tiebreaks 7-6(2), 6-7(4), 7-6(3).

Along with Nick Kyrgios, Novak Djokovic also kick-started his campaign for the 2025 season at the Brisbane International. The once fierce rivals who now turned friends, teamed up to play doubles for the tournament and made their debut in Brisbane on Monday (December 30).

In a match that lasted for one hour and 48 minutes, the pair knocked out Alexander Erler and Andreas Mies 6-4, 6-7(4), 10-8. It was Kyrgios’ first match since his long injury layoff. Kyrgios, as expected, entertained the crowd and even Djokovic who later praised him for hitting a tweener.

The pair are set to lock horns with Nikola Mektic and Michael Venus in the next round. Although Kyrgios was eliminated from the tournament, the 24-time Grand Slam champion outclassed Rinky Hijikata in his first match and is set to face Gael Monfils in the next round.