Australian tennis player Nick Kyrgios celebrated his return to competitive tennis Tuesday after securing his first professional victory in more than a year at the Stuttgart Open in Germany.
The former world number 13 defeated France’s Corentin Moutet with a commanding 6-3, 6-4 victory in the tournament’s opening round, displaying the grass court skills that once took him to tennis’s biggest stages.
Following his win, the 31-year-old spoke candidly about his lengthy battle with injuries that have derailed his career in recent years.
“I had a wrist reconstruction, I’ve had four knee surgeries, so I’m really battling, but at the same time I’ve put in a lot of work, I’m really feeling good about myself,” he said on court after the match.
Kyrgios also reflected on moments of doubt during his recovery process.
“Honestly, there were so many times I was thinking: ‘Why am I playing? What more do I need to do?’ And I look at you guys and this is why I’m playing, so I’ll hang around a little longer,” he told the crowd.
“I’m pleased with the way I played today, I’m pleased with the way I’m feeling in my body, I’ve been putting in a lot of work so I’m just really happy to be back.”
The Australian’s career has been severely hampered by injuries since his runner-up finish at Wimbledon in 2022. His playing schedule has been drastically reduced, with only one singles match in 2023, no matches throughout 2024, five professional tournaments in 2025, and just one appearance this year prior to Tuesday’s victory at the Tennis Club Weissenhof.
Currently without a ranking, Kyrgios is scheduled to face Japanese qualifier Sho Shimabukuro in Thursday’s second round. A strong performance could position him for consideration when Wimbledon wild cards are distributed next week.
Despite his successful return, the injury-plagued player remained cautious about making future predictions.
“I’m so thrilled to be back, and playing some high-level tennis as well,” he added.
“Confident? I don’t know if that is a word I’m feeling quite yet. Obviously, I will see how I feel tomorrow.”
