By Shrivathsa Sridhar
MELBOURNE (Reuters) – Nick Kyrgios said on Friday his return to the Grand Slam stage at Melbourne Park after two injury-plagued years has come just in time as tennis was becoming “a bit mundane”.
The mercurial Australian’s last appearance at a major came at the U.S. Open in 2022, the same year he reached the Wimbledon final, with a series of knee, foot and wrist problems derailing his career.
Known as much for his temperamental behaviour as his exceptional talent, the 29-year-old said the tour needed different characters on the court.
“For me being back, it adds a bit of question marks to what is going to happen today. I love that,” Kyrgios told reporters.
“Every time I step out on the court, I don’t know if I’m going to be super controversial in a good or bad way.
“Throughout my career, it hasn’t always been good but it’s added a lot of excitement to the game. It’s important. There’s so many good players on the tour now. I think there’s not so many contrasting personalities.
“I’ve always been someone that’s played my brand of tennis, and I guess my personality, I haven’t changed since I was 10-years-old.
“It’s good to be back. I think the sport was getting a bit mundane.”
Kyrgios’s comeback to the tour has already been hampered by more fitness issues. He picked up an abdominal strain during a tune-up tournament in Brisbane which then forced him out of an exhibition event.
However, he was confident he would be able to manage the issue at the Australian Open, which begins on Sunday.
“After Brisbane, it was really encouraging. Obviously my body was struggling a bit,” said Kyrgios, who plays Briton Jacob Fearnley in his opener.
“I was like, ‘Okay, I’m going to try to build on that’. Then I had a little bit more of a setback.
“It’s just part of the game. Niggles. I don’t think anyone really feels 100%. As long as it’s not something like my wrist again, I can manage it.”
(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Melbourne; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
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