Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis set for Australian Open doubles comeback: "Expect a rollercoaster"

Nick Kyrgios’ comeback at the Australian Open won’t be limited to singles, as he will also reunite with Thanasi Kokkinakis in doubles, recreating the partnership that claimed the 2022 title. Both Australians confirmed the news via social media.

The 2022 Wimbledon runner-up is set to return in just over two weeks, following a string of injuries that kept him off the Tour for much of the past two seasons. Kyrgios is focused on regaining match fitness as he trains in Brisbane ahead of his first tournament.

The former world No. 13 will participate in the Brisbane International starting December 29 before heading to Melbourne to prepare for the Australian Open, where he gained entry via his protected ranking. Kokkinakis, meanwhile, is taking the same route but will have to go through qualifying in Brisbane to secure a spot in the main draw.

Back in 2022, the Kokkinakis-Kyrgios duo entered the Australian Open main draw with a wildcard and exceeded expectations. In the second round, they faced the world No. 1 pair Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic, defeating them in straight sets. This victory began building excitement about how far the local favourites could go.

Their momentum continued as they defeated the 15th-seeded Behar/Escobar in the third round and the 6th-seeded Puetz/Venus in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals, they faced the third-seeded Marcelo Granollers and Horacio Zeballos, again winning in straight sets. The all-Australian final saw Kyrgios and Kokkinakis claim an unexpected Grand Slam doubles title by defeating compatriots Matthew Ebden and Max Purcell.

Via social media, Kyrgios shared a video from their 2022 Australian Open journey, posting: “KING 👑 x KOKK 🍆 ….. WE WILL BE BACK FOR THE @australianopen …. Expect a rollercoaster….. one last time.” Kokkinakis responded enthusiastically: “👀 it’s Time 🎥.”