Nick Kyrgios to end eight-year French Open exile and make shock return at Roland Garros
Nick Kyrgios is set to make a shock return to Roland Garros in his first French Open appearance in eight years.
Kyrgios is back on tour after enduring an extended period of inactivity due to wrist and knee surgeries.
He picked up his first singles win since October 2022 at the Miami Open, coming from a set down to beat Mackenzie McDonald 3-6 6-3 6-4.
And while he is yet to hit the clay this season, he will feature at Roland Garros as he makes an Aussie alliance with Jordan Thompson in the doubles.
Thompson, who is world number 11 in the doubles rankings, has been chopping and changing his partners this year after regular teammate Max Purcell was handed an 18-month doping ban.
“The French Open was never really on the cards, but after the stuff with Max Purcell, Jordan was looking for a partner and he asked me if I wanted to play,” Kyrgios told The Canberra Times.
“We played at the French Open before, so it’ll be good to get out there and play with another fellow Aussie and have a bit of fun.”
Kyrgios’s only career Grand Slam triumph came in the doubles, lifting the Australian Open alongside Thanasi Kokkinakis in 2022.
The French Open will act as Kyrgios’s final warm-up for a busy grass-court season, returning to singles action at the Stuttgart Open with an eye on Wimbledon, which kicks off on June 30.
“I’m excited to get out there and play,” Kyrgios added. “We put a lot of work in – myself, [physiotherapist] Will [Maher], and the team. I feel good.
“Me and [coach] James [Frawley] have been on the court pretty much every single day. I’m hitting the ball well, it’s just a matter of playing matches.
“With this part of my career I’m excited to travel the world and do some fun things whilst I’m out there.”
