Nick Kyrgios has alarmed his fans with a revealing three-word statement as he announced he will once again team up to play doubles with his best friend Thanasi Kokkinakis at next month’s Australian Open.
The duo, dubbed the ‘Special Ks’, dazzled the last time they took to Melbourne’s blue courts together, clinching the 2022 men’s doubles title in front of a roaring home crowd.
Their infectious and irrepressible style of tennis caught the attention of fans around the world, but according to Kyrgios, they will not be playing again after competing at the Rod Laver Arena in a few weeks.
“WE’RE BACK FOR THE @australianopen… Expect a rollercoaster… one last time,” Kyrgios wrote on Instagram.
Those last three words made tennis fans nervous.
‘The last dance?? Say he’s not so brother,’ wrote one.
Thanasi Kokkinakis (left) has left the door open to a possible doubles meeting between Nick Kyrgios (right) and himself.
The pair dazzled in Melbourne at the 2022 Australian Open, claiming the men’s doubles title in front of a raucous home crowd.
‘What do you mean, one last time?’ another commented.
‘Noooo Not one last time. “Tennis needs you,” responded another, with many similar comments as well.
Kokkinakis didn’t follow through with the “last time” comment when talking about teaming up with his friend again.
“The double is tough because everyone loved it last time,” Kokkinakis said.
‘We loved it, it was a lot of fun.
‘It’s definitely not going to be the priority for us. We feel like we owe it to people to get back out there and have fun.
“It’s not something we’ve practiced, but yes, singles are definitely the goal. It’s complicated.
“If you have a big five-set match, with all due respect, the last thing you want to do is go out and play doubles the next day, but we’ll play it by ear and see how it goes.”
Kyrgios has played just one competitive tennis match in the last two years after suffering a series of injuries.
These include a serious knee injury and ligament damage in his wrist.
He is due to headline this month’s Brisbane International, which begins on December 29.
“It will be fantastic for tennis, fantastic for fans in Australia and around the world,” Kokkinakis added of Kyrgios’ return to the court.
Kokkinakis said they would prioritize the singles tournament, but added that both players wanted to give back to the fans.
He added that Kyrgios’ return after a long injury layoff was exciting for the sport, calling his compatriot “a great player.”
Kyrgios has played just once competitively in the last two years, amid a series of injuries.
‘He’s a different cat. He obviously has a different type of energy and is a great player, so I think people will love having him back.
‘It’s been a long time coming. “I think he’s been ready to play for a while now, but I think he wanted to make sure he’s really ready (before) taking a step back, so hopefully he can stay healthy.”
Over the past few months, Kyrgios has been working hard in training and has opened up about some of the methods he has been using to get his wrist back to full strength.
Even after his injury problems, Kokkinakis backed his big teammate to get back shooting this summer.
He said he has been hitting fluffy tennis balls that under-10 players learn, adding: “I had to teach my right wrist (how to play tennis) again.”
‘(He is a) super talented player. “With that serve you almost don’t even need to play that well sometimes to have a chance,” he added.
“So if his body is in good condition, which I’m sure it will be, yeah, sure.” It is always a dangerous threat.
Kokkinakis aims for the top 50 of the ATP
The 28-year-old knows all about the pain of enduring a prolonged injury layoff.
Earlier this week, Kokkinakis made a shocking confession about his sporting career, stating that he had thought about quitting tennis while battling abdominal and groin injuries, as well as having to undergo shoulder surgery.
Despite that, in 2024 he scored big wins, seeing off Stefanos Tsitsipas, Felix Auger-Aliassime and Jack Draper throughout the year.
He also dismissed Ben Shelton in last month’s Davis Cup to send Australia to the semi-finals.
Kokkinakis, for his part, wants to enter the top 50 of the ATP Tour rankings in 2025
“I’ve been ranked higher than where I finished, but I feel like, as far as consistent big wins and my level of tennis, it’s as good as it’s ever been,” he said.
‘I’m going to use it as a springboard for next year. I feel like my tennis is up there with the best and I’m really knocking on the door.
“I just have to keep working hard and not take my foot off the gas.”
As for his main goal for 2025, Kokkinakis, whose highest ranking is number 65, hopes to break the top 50 on the ATP Tour.
‘The Top 50 is the next push for me and I don’t need to stop there. “I think I can keep going, but that’s obviously the short-term goal,” he said.