{"id":77948,"date":"2026-01-06T06:42:24","date_gmt":"2026-01-06T09:42:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ubirataonline.com.br\/nick-kyrgios-out-of-brisbane-international-as-reality-of-multiple-surgeries-hits-home\/"},"modified":"2026-01-06T06:42:24","modified_gmt":"2026-01-06T09:42:24","slug":"nick-kyrgios-out-of-brisbane-international-as-reality-of-multiple-surgeries-hits-home","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ubirataonline.com.br\/en\/nick-kyrgios-out-of-brisbane-international-as-reality-of-multiple-surgeries-hits-home\/","title":{"rendered":"Nick Kyrgios out of Brisbane International as reality of multiple surgeries hits home"},"content":{"rendered":"

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There was barely a spare seat in the house.<\/p>\n

The most talked about man in tennis \u2014 certainly the most talked about man outside the top 600 in the world \u2014 was on court.<\/p>\n

After the studious examination with which the Pat Rafter Arena crowd observed the two matches prior, featuring last year’s two Australian Open women’s finalists Madison Keys and Aryna Sabalenka<\/a>, there was an air of expectation.<\/p>\n

Expectation of what, exactly, nobody is sure.<\/p>\n

Kyrgios was the entertainer in the travelling show that is the world tour, happy to act the clown or rage against a line call one moment, whip up the crowd with a flamboyant drop shot or conduct a chant the next.<\/p>\n

This is what the final phase of the career of Nick Kyrgios amounts to.<\/p>\n

It’s a standalone event.<\/p>\n

There’s no future narrative to explore, no lengthy grand slam run to hope for.<\/p>\n

Just entertainment.<\/p>\n

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\"Nick<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>
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The 2026 Brisbane International was Kyrgios’s first proper match in 12 months. (AAP: Darren England<\/span>)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

But an hour and six minutes after it started, the crowd filed out, underwhelmed and disappointed as Kyrgios limped to a 6-3, 6-4 defeat against American Aleksandar Kovacevic.<\/p>\n

Kyrgios never really looked comfortable.<\/p>\n

Yes, there were some all-too-brief moments of brilliance from the former grand slam finalist, some of his 11 winners a result of vintage Kyrgios power and precision, that languid slash of his racquet belying his power.<\/p>\n

But the ease with which Kovacevic hit the majority of his 28 winners told the real story.<\/p>\n

Kyrgios simply cannot move across the court the way top level tennis demands he has to in order to be competitive.<\/p>\n

His body simply does not allow him to extend rallies \u2014 his awkward loping to the baseline from his chair evidence enough of the difficulty his ailing lower limbs are giving him.<\/p>\n

His right leg, encased in a compression bandage after his doubles clash on Sunday, was clearly worrying him \u2014 flexing it at the change of ends.<\/p>\n

His left ankle, clamped in a supportive bandage, cannot allow him much of the springing mobility a top-level player needs, either.<\/p>\n

His right elbow as well, straining from the efforts of serving at close to 200km\/h after nine months off the tour.<\/p>\n

But this is the acknowledged reality that Kyrgios exists in.<\/p>\n

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Nick Kyrgios admitted that it was tough to acknowledge his post-surgery capabilities. (Getty Images: Albert Perez<\/span>)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

“I’m never going to be \u2026 I think it’s unfair,” Kyrgios said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

“I use Thanasi as an example, or myself, or [Juan Mart\u00edn] Del Potro or [Dominic] Thiem or [Kai] Nishikori, we look at some of these people that were at the top of their game competing for grand slams, and then you have parts of your body that just fail and can’t take the load of being at that top level.<\/p>\n

“That’s what happens.<\/p>\n

“I mean, it’s so hard for me to go out there, even on the practice courts sometimes \u2026 there was a point in my life, in 2022, when I was winning multiple titles in a year \u2026 there was actually a delusion [that] I genuinely thought I was the best player in the world.\u00a0<\/p>\n

“When you’re at the top of the sport, I genuinely thought I was unbeatable.\u00a0<\/p>\n

“I’d go out on court, and I thought no-one can genuinely beat me.<\/p>\n

“You actually have that confidence and delusion that you are that person.\u00a0<\/p>\n

“After you have these surgeries \u2026 I guess they kind of pull you down and it’s like you don’t have that belief anymore.<\/p>\n

“It’s sad, in a way, but that’s just the reality.<\/p>\n

“It’s just sport so you can’t be too upset. That’s why you have to really be grateful for moments like that doubles match the other night, and the fact that I got through this and I’m ready to play doubles tomorrow, I’m still extremely happy with myself and proud of myself.<\/p>\n

“There was a time where I won this tournament, and now, even just going out there, there is no shame in losing. I think people now, they’re afraid to lose and afraid to go out there and not play their best.<\/p>\n

“But that’s not reality.<\/p>\n

“So even me going out there and taking another loss on the chin, to someone that, to most tennis fans and people, to someone I shouldn’t lose to, but I’m not afraid to lose.”<\/p>\n

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Nick Kyrgios says he still has plenty to offer on a tennis court. (Getty Images: Albert Perez<\/span>)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

When boxers topple over the hill, they say it’s the power that’s the last thing to go.<\/p>\n

Kyrgios still has that power.<\/p>\n

Down in pace slightly during his doubles match on Sunday<\/a>, he was ripping his serve nicely in the singles, thundering the balls down at over 190km\/h.<\/p>\n

And he still has an exquisite touch.<\/p>\n

But not enough of it.<\/p>\n

Not enough for 27-year-old New Yorker Kovacevic, in any case.<\/p>\n

The 58-ranked American admirably maintained his composure, delivering thunderous serves of his own as well as a delightful tease of shots that emphasised his evident competency at the net.<\/p>\n

Although Kyrgios curbed a lot of the silliness that he occasionally is prone to deliver, he was still engaged in near-constant conversation with his team, the crowd, even himself.<\/p>\n

That can be hard to ignore.<\/p>\n

Kovacevic shut it all out.<\/p>\n

“Credit to my opponent today, he played lights out,” Kyrgios said.<\/p>\n

“You can tell that he’s new to the tour and he’s really locked in \u2026 he’s a hell of a player.\u00a0<\/p>\n

“He’s going to be one to watch for sure. He’s obviously had a breakthrough year last year and he’s going to continue to have big wins.”<\/p>\n

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\"Nick<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>
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Kyrgios looked to be in clear discomfort during the match, particularly with his knee and elbow. (AAP: Darren England<\/span>)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

The signs of Kyrgios’s struggles were there in Sunday’s doubles, where it was evident that Thansi Kokkinakis would be the driving factor in their success or otherwise.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Kyrgios was simply playing a holding role to allow his friend to showcase his own return from injury.<\/p>\n