{"id":306679,"date":"2025-11-25T01:00:10","date_gmt":"2025-11-25T01:00:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/306679\/"},"modified":"2025-11-25T01:00:10","modified_gmt":"2025-11-25T01:00:10","slug":"nick-kyrgios-to-play-at-kooyong-classic-as-he-steps-up-bid-for-australian-open-wildcard","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/306679\/","title":{"rendered":"Nick Kyrgios to play at Kooyong Classic as he steps up bid for Australian Open wildcard"},"content":{"rendered":"

Nick Kyrgios<\/a> will contest the returning Kooyong Classic in Melbourne as the former Wimbledon<\/a> finalist continues his surprise bid to make a competitive comeback at the Australian Open<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Kyrgios has added the January 13-15 round-robin to a packed schedule also featuring exhibition matches next month in the US against Ben Shelton and Tommy Paul, before a much-hyped \u201cBattle of the Sexes\u201d showdown in Dubai on December 28 against women\u2019s world No.1 Aryna Sabalenka.<\/p>\n

The Australian has not played on the ATP Tour since March, with career-threatening knee and wrist surgeries restricting the one-time world No.13 to just six matches in more than three years.<\/p>\n

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Having spiralled to the devil\u2019s number of 666 in the world since his lay-off, Kyrgios would need a wildcard entry into any tournaments over the Australian summer.<\/p>\n

The ATP told AAP his injury-protected ranking of world No.21 \u2014 which afforded him direct entry to certain events \u2014 expired on November 10.<\/p>\n

\"NickNick Kyrgios is in the field for the Kooyong Classic as he eyes a serious tennis comeback. Credit: AAP<\/p>\n

The mercurial talent revealed to AAP this month that he was hoping to play the Brisbane International and then the Australian Open if his body survived his succession of exhibition matches.<\/p>\n

The 30-year-old said he had been training like he was during his career-best year in 2022, when he lost the Wimbledon final to Novak Djokovic in four sets, then reached the US Open quarter-finals.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know whether to call it a miracle or anything, but my knee feels like it\u2019s gotten younger by a couple of years,\u201d Kyrgios said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI really didn\u2019t have hope to be able to play AO or just ever get back to that point of where I felt comfortable and competing and really letting my body go.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut something in the last month, I don\u2019t know what it is. I was with my masseuse and physio last night and something really has changed with my knee.<\/p>\n

\u201cLike it\u2019s not swelling, it\u2019s not feeling bad after a session.\u201d<\/p>\n

As a former winner in Brisbane and perennial fan favourite and 2022 Australian Open doubles champion, Kyrgios\u2019s wildcard cases would appear compelling.<\/p>\n

His inclusion at Kooyong \u2014 which was not held last year \u2014 follows the announcement that newly crowned Italian Davis Cup heroes Flavio Cobolli, the world No.22, and Matteo Berrettini, another ex-Wimbledon runner-up, would also feature.<\/p>\n

Other stars include Italy\u2019s world No.8 Lorenzo Musetti, the 11th-ranked Alexander Bublik and former Australian Open finalist Marin Cilic.<\/p>\n

The Australian Open starts on January 18.<\/p>\n

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