Nick Kyrgios has made several comments in recent months that suggest he may be closing in on retiring from tennis - the latest coming after his Australian Open defeat

If this was the last Australian Open singles match of Nick Kyrgios' career — and, to be sure, it's hard to know with him, no matter what came out at his news conference — the big-hitting, big-talking tennis player went out rather quietly Monday night.

Alex de Minaur, the world No. 8, and Nick Kyrgios, who is back after a two-year battle with knee and wrist injuries, are the headliners for their country at Melbourne Park. Kyrgios emceed the night session on John Cain Arena Monday, before De Minaur headlines Rod Laver Arena, the pantheon of Australian tennis Tuesday night.

After months of interminable hype and speculation, Nick Kyrgios finally made his grand return to the Australian Open. Despite having a low bar set for him after missing almost two full years, Kyrgios still laid an egg in front of his home crowd in Melbourne.

The 29-year-old has endured a wretched run of injuries and was hampered by an abdominal issue on Monday night. Fans packed John Cain Arena to get a glimpse of Kyrgios playing his first grand slam since the US Open in 2022, and the Aussie had plenty of home support.

Nick Kyrgios says he is good for tennis and the sport will get a boost from his return to Grand Slam action at the Australian Open.

Down here, it’s all about their own tennis yin and yang. One is a top 10-player who will do whatever he can to avoid controversy, while dedicating every ounce of his energy to the sport. The other is an unranked unicorn,

Nick Kyrgios returns to the Australian Open and plays Britain’s Jacob Fearnley in his first match at the tournament in three years. The controversial Australian has been sidelined for most of the past two years following knee and wrist surgeries - and claims the sport has been “mundane” in his absence.