Nick Kyrgios has made a triumphant return to professional tennis with an electrifying first-round doubles victory with Novak Djokovic at the Brisbane International. The one-time Wimbledon final foes and first-time pairing lit up Pat Rafter Arena on Monday night with a dazzling 6-4 6-7 10-8 win over Austrian Alexander Erler and German Andreas Mies. Kyrgios was playing his first tour match since June 2023 and making only his second competitive outing in almost two-and-a-half years following career-saving wrist and knee surgeries.
But in one 107-minute cameo the former world No.13 showed he'd lost neither his awesome serving firepower or outrageous shot-making talent as he and Djokovic delivered a proverbial tennis clinic for fans. With Kyrgios dropping just four points in his six service games, the superstar wildcards proved nigh on impossible to break and captured the opening set in spectacular fashion.
Djokovic took the backhand side and showed why with one exquisite shot thread between the net post and the umpire's chair. He followed with an unplayable backhand return before bringing up set point with a sumptuous topspin lob. Not to be outdone, Kyrgios the showman whipped a curling forehand past Mies to seal the set in the most stylish fashion.
Kyrgios had promised to add some fun to Djokovic's usually methodical game and, true to his word, had the super Serb dancing in delight after conjuring a signature "tweener" winner late in the second set. For all their dominance, thou.