Kyrgios eyes Australian Open return, embraces 'drama'

Love him or hate him, Nick Kyrgios is good for tennis, and the sport will get a boost from his return to Grand Slam action at the Australian Open -- or so he says.

"We watch sport because we want personalities.... It's like drama, theater," 2022 Wimbledon runner-up Kyrgios said Friday, when he indicated he thinks he will be able to compete despite a recent issue with an abdominal muscle. "For me, being personally back, it adds a bit of question marks to, like, 'What is going to happen today?' I love that. Every time I step out on 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," continued the 29-year-old Australian, wearing a green hat in support of his favorite NBA team, the reigning champion Boston Celtics, "but it's added a lot of excitement to the game."

As play begins at Melbourne Park on Sunday, Kyrgios is sure to be among the players garnering the most attention from spectators, media and other athletes, assuming, that is, he is fit enough. He has played two singles matches since 2023 while dealing with knee and wrist problems.

He made it sound after a practice session Friday morning -- and before a second one planned for the afternoon -- as if he will be ready for his first major in more than two years.

"It's good to be back. I think it's important," Kyrgios said. "I think the sport was getting a bit mundane."

No matter what anyone thinks of Kyrgios -- and everyone, it seems, has an opinion -- there can be no doubt that he is anything but dull.

That goes for on the court, from the booming serves to the between-the-legs shots to the back-and-forths with chair umpires and spectators to the racket smashes and fine-drawing outbursts. Away from the tour, he never seems far away from headlines either, including when he escaped conviction on a charge of common assault when he pleaded guilty to shoving a former girlfriend to the ground during an argument in 2021. Then there are the times when he offers his thoughts, as a TV commentator or via statements at news conferences or online, that upset people, including lately about doping cases involving Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek.

"I know that people don't like when I just speak out about things," Kyrgios said recently, "and [am] honest about things."

The most recent major tournament that Kyrgios was able to participate in was the 2022 US Open, when he reached the quarterfinals.

He returned to competition last week at the Brisbane International tuneup tournament, playing one singles match and joining Novak Djokovic for two doubles matches.

When it comes to Kyrgios' talent, other players tend to agree with Jordan Thompson's assessment Friday: "If he's fit, he's a contender."

Daniil Medvedev, the 2021 US Open champion and a three-time runner-up at Melbourne Park, said a healthy Kyrgios is "definitely great for tennis."

"I would love to see him play against Carlos [Alcaraz] and Jannik [Sinner]. His biggest weapon is his serve, [and] he has the skills and the hands," Medvedev said. "I'm only happy if he comes back to tennis."