“Getting ready for Paris”: Nick Kyrgios plots Roland Garros return after wrist woes

Nick Kyrgios has announced that he hopes to return to the court at the French Open, even though his name was missing from the official entry list released a few weeks ago. The Australian would need to rely on a wildcard from the organisers—something that seems unlikely, as the tournament tends to prioritise local players for invitations.

The 2022 Wimbledon finalist began his season with three straight defeats, earning his first win at the Miami Open by turning around the match against Mackenzie McDonald (3-6, 6-3, 6-4). However, he was then eliminated in the second round by 22nd seed Karen Khachanov in straight sets.

Since his last appearance on 21 March, Kyrgios hasn’t taken part in the clay swing. Throughout his career, he has never looked entirely comfortable on clay, and it's been common in past seasons for the Australian to skip most clay tournaments. This time, he's used the break to continue recovering from a wrist injury that has lingered since surgery, which kept him out for nearly two years.

In a recent Instagram Live, Kyrgios thanked fans for their support and birthday wishes, and revealed that he is training with the aim of returning at Roland Garros.

“Hey guys, couple of days after my birthday now,” said Kyrgios, who turned 30 on Sunday, April 27. “Just getting into training and getting ready to head to Paris in about three weeks. I just want to say I appreciate all the birthday messages… it’s almost been impossible to get back to every single one of you, but I really appreciate the love, the support from all my fans, family and friends… I really felt the love, the big three-zero. Time’s moving. I definitely felt special.”

Normally, the French Tennis Federation prioritises local players for wildcards. In 2024, six wildcards were granted to French players, plus American Nicolas Moreno de Alboran and Australian Adam Walton—thanks to reciprocal agreements with the US Open and Australian Open federations, who typically exchange wildcard slots at every Grand Slam.

These federation slots are also usually awarded to young, rising players aiming to gain their first Grand Slam experience and earn crucial ranking points and prize money for their careers.