Outspoken tennis star Nick Kyrgios, who last played in a grand slam at the 2022 US Open, is all set to make his much-anticipated comeback at the 2025 Australian Open. After a series of disruptive knee, foot, and wrist injuries, the 2022 Wimbledon finalist is now gearing up for his home grand slam in January.

Wilander's Bold Claim About Kyrgios

Seven-time grand slam winner Mats Wilander believes that if Kyrgios wins the prestigious tournament at Melbourne Park, he can prove himself to be a complete tennis player. Wilander, who won three Australian Open titles between 1983 - 88, considers Kyrgios one of the few players who is a box office draw both on and off the court. He stated, "I think Nick [Kyrgios] has revolutionised the sport in many ways. Players are actually using part of his arsenal or his repertoire. Now, here’s another statement, if Nick goes out, and he plays his absolute best tennis, and if he wins the Grand Slam, I believe maybe for the first time ever, a single player would have ticked every single box that you can tick. He is competitive, the level is high, the mental attitude is brilliant, the repertoire and the variety of crazy shot-making and the jokes he cracks, no one has ever done it all. Nick Kyrgios has a chance to do it all."

Wilander's Perspective on Kyrgios' Impact

Wilander further elaborated on Kyrgios' impact on the sport. He said, "Kyrgios' style of play has inspired many players. His ability to mix aggression with finesse is something that sets him apart. His on-court antics and his sense of humor have also made him a fan favorite. When he's at his best, he can dominate a match and leave the audience in awe. His comeback at the Australian Open is a significant event for the sport as it shows that even after facing numerous injuries, he still has the potential to achieve great things."

Kyrgios' Pre-Australian Open Plans

Before the Australian Open begins, Kyrgios hinted that he may play doubles with Novak Djokovic at the Brisbane International, which starts on December 29. This news has generated a lot of excitement among tennis fans. Kyrgios' partnership with Djokovic could potentially bring a new dimension to the doubles game and add more star power to the tournament. It also shows Kyrgios' willingness to collaborate and compete with other top players.

Kyrgios vs Sinner: The Antagonism

The tennis world was shocked when Jannik Sinner tested positive for clostebol in March. Although Sinner was cleared of wrongdoing by an independent tribunal before the 23-year-old was set to play at this year's US Open, Kyrgios wanted the men's world number one to be banned for two years. After Kyrgios' statement, Wilander had his say on the matter. He added, "Nick Kyrgios says he wants to disrupt and antagonise if he plays. He's disrupting matches at the best of times against any player, but in a way, I believe Jannik Sinner is completely innocent. There’s no chance that he was trying to do something illegal, and it was not his fault whatsoever. It would be interesting to see if Jannik Sinner could hold and keep his cool if he played someone like Nick Kyrgios on, let’s say, the old Vodafone, John Cain Arena. They let all the ground pass holders at the Australian Open come in, so the average age in the crowd goes from 60 years old down to 16 years old or maybe 20 and some of them are having a few beers too many. That atmosphere would be interesting to see if Sinner could keep his cool if Nick Kyrgios really gets on top of him."