Nick Kyrgios is making a comeback – and this time it’s official. The Brisbane International just announced he’ll be playing at their 2026 tournament, putting an end to speculation that his tennis career was over.
It’s been a rough couple of years for the Australian. He tried returning to pro tennis in 2025 after being away for two years, but his body just wasn’t ready.
His wrist and knee problems were pretty obvious during that failed comeback attempt at the 2023 Halle Open. You could see he was struggling.
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The 2025 comeback that wasn’t
When Kyrgios tried again in 2025, there were some bright spots. He beat Mackenzie McDonald at the Miami Open and looked competitive against top players like Jack Draper and Karen Khachanov.
But his wrist kept betraying him.
You could see the pain on his face during every match. The guy who reached the 2022 Wimbledon final and talked about winning a Grand Slam to shut up his critics? That dream seemed pretty far away.
His last singles match was that loss to Khachanov in Miami back in March. After that, radio silence.
At 30 years old, plenty of fans figured he’d finally thrown in the towel.
Brisbane gives him another shot
The Brisbane International runs from January 5th to 11th, 2026. They announced Kyrgios’s participation in a video on their social media – though they’re being pretty coy about the details.
Will he play singles? Doubles? Both? They’re not saying.
The video footage shows him hitting singles shots, so maybe that’s a hint. But given his injury history, they’re probably keeping their options open.
Smart move, really. If Kyrgios decides closer to the tournament that he can only handle doubles, at least they haven’t promised anything they can’t deliver.
Battle of the Sexes showdown
Before Brisbane though, Kyrgios has got something completely different lined up. He’s facing WTA world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in an exhibition match on December 28th in Dubai.
It’s a throwback to the famous Battle of the Sexes concept. Most people remember Billie Jean King beating Bobby Riggs back in 1973 – that match was huge for women’s tennis.
This one’s got people talking for different reasons.
Sabalenka thinks it’s a win-win situation. She argues that all the pressure’s on Kyrgios since everyone expects the man to win. The four-time Grand Slam champion is convinced she can compete with him.
Not everyone’s convinced it’s a good idea though. Some worry that if Sabalenka gets beaten badly by a guy who’s barely played recently because of injuries, it might undermine women’s tennis.
Others think the attention will be great for the WTA Tour – exposing casual fans to the world’s best female player.
Money talks
Whatever happens, both players are set to make a lot of money just for showing up. The match will definitely be fascinating to watch, if only to see how it all plays out.
For Kyrgios, it’s another step back toward competitive tennis. Whether his body can handle the grind of a full comeback remains the big question.
The Brisbane announcement suggests he’s at least willing to find out.
