Nick Kyrgios and Novak Djokovic are set to form a surprise doubles partnership at the upcoming Brisbane International tournament, marking Kyrgios’ return to competitive tennis.
The Australian star announced the pairing on social media for the ATP 250 event, which begins on December 29.
The partnership comes as Kyrgios prepares to make his comeback after nearly two years away from the sport due to knee and wrist injuries.
The 29-year-old has played just one match since June 2023, with the Brisbane International set to be his first official tournament appearance since then.
Novak Djokovic and Nick Kyrgios will team up to see the Aussie return to tennis
PA/Reuters
This doubles partnership was first teased by Kyrgios back in December 2022, when he shared a photo with Djokovic following their Wimbledon final clash that year.
“new doubles pair this year…. Loading…… @djokernole you ready??!!” Kyrgios wrote on Instagram at the time.
However, those plans were forced to be put on hold when the Australian suffered knee and wrist injuries.
Now, two years after the initial tease, Kyrgios has revived the partnership plans by sharing the 2022 post to his Instagram story on Monday with the message: “Doubles at Brisbane. See y’all there.”
Djokovic will also compete in the singles draw at Brisbane, as he looks to build momentum ahead of the Australian Open.
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The world No. 7 has not played an official ATP match since October 13, when he lost to Jannik Sinner in the Shanghai Masters final.
His most recent appearance came at the Six Kings Slam exhibition event in Saudi Arabia, where he defeated Rafael Nadal in a third-place playoff after losing to Sinner.
The 37-year-old Serbian subsequently withdrew from both the Paris Masters and ATP Finals, despite being the reigning champion at both tournaments.
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Nick Kyrgios has been out of action for months
PA
The Brisbane International will mark his return to competitive action as he aims to increase his playing schedule in 2025.
The partnership reflects the remarkable transformation in their relationship, from former rivals to close friends.
Speaking on Kyrgios’s Good Trouble podcast earlier this year, Djokovic explained how their friendship blossomed after the Australian supported him during his 2022 deportation from Australia.
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Novak Djokovic and Nick Kyrgios have struck up a close friendship
Reuters
“You were one of the very few colleagues that stood up that used his platform, used his voice, to support me,” Djokovic recalled.
“That’s something that I’ll never forget, and since that moment, our relationship has gotten better.”
The pair have faced each other three times in singles, with Kyrgios leading their head-to-head 2-1, though Djokovic won their most recent encounter in the 2022 Wimbledon final.
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