Video Raises Doubts Over Nick Kyrgios’s Return as Wrist Injury Flare-Up Emerges

Nick Kyrgios was spotted nursing his surgically repaired wrist and had to halt his practice session ahead of his first-round match at Indian Wells on Friday.

The Australian tennis star appeared to have reinjured his wrist during a practice hit with Japan’s Sho Shimabukuro on Wednesday.

Kyrgios is scheduled to face qualifier Botic van de Zandschulp on Friday morning (AEST), but social media footage has raised concerns about his ability to compete effectively.

In the posted video, Kyrgios could be seen holding his right wrist for over a minute as members of his team came over to check on him.

He subsequently approached the net to shake hands with Shimabukuro before taking a seat at the side of the court.

This right wrist issue forced Kyrgios to undergo surgery, sidelining him for 18 months before he made his return to tennis last December at the Brisbane International.

He faced a first-round exit against Jacob Fearnley at the Australian Open, where he admitted he was on the verge of retiring from the match due to an abdominal injury.

Kyrgios heads into his match against van de Zandschulp using a protected ranking to qualify for Indian Wells.

If he overcomes van de Zandschulp, he is set to face Novak Djokovic in the second round.

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However, it wouldn’t be surprising if he decided to withdraw from Indian Wells at the last moment.

In 2023, he withdrew from both the Australian and US Open on the day before the matches due to injuries.

“I’ve got six holes in my hand and one in my arm [from surgery]. No tennis player has ever had this procedure and returned to play,” Kyrgios stated in January.

“It’s all quite experimental… there’s no real protocol regarding how it will be or how it will respond.”

If Kyrgios competes at Indian Wells, it will mark just his third singles match in 2025.