Nick Kyrgios is very close to returning to tennis, and he actually had a light practice with Novak Djokovic in London.
Kyrgios recently confirmed that he will be back on the tennis courts later this month. He's supposed to play at the Ultimate Tennis Showdown in New York in a few weeks, and he also wants to ease himself into playing regularly by competing in doubles.
The Australian has been away from the sport for a very long time due to a wrist injury. Before even injuring his wrist in Mallorca, Kyrgios spent many months away from the sport due to a knee injury.
He's been away from the sport since the end of 2022, playing only one match on the ATP Tour last year. Now, he's in London this week doing commentary for the 2024 Wimbledon Championships as part of his soft launch into the media space.
It's not the first time that he's been involved in commentary for tennis matches during his injury layoff. He was involved in the ATP Finals last year and the Australian Open earlier this year.
Being in front of the microphone and camera is natural for Kyrgios, but he still prefers to be out on the tennis courts. Djokovic actually sent him a nice message before their meeting at this year's Wimbledon, and they even got to meet on a tennis court.
They met on the grass for some practice time, the first time they had faced each other since their iconic 2022 Wimbledon final, and Kyrgios looked like he was really nearing a comeback.
The two enjoyed some banter during a short practice session as the Australian teased the 24-time major winner when hitting the ball to his side of the court, saying: "Come on Grand Slam champion!" The crowd involved enjoyed their practice and banter, as did the two involved players.