Nick Kyrgios has made a massive statement in his return to the court, leaving the tennis world buzzing with excitement. The Australian star scored a dominant straight-sets win over World No. 36 Corentin Moutet in his first singles match since January 6, 2026.
Dominant Performance in Stuttgart
After being sidelined with knee and wrist injuries, Kyrgios made a huge statement in the first round of ATP Stuttgart, breezing past Moutet 6-3 6-4 in a little over an hour on Wednesday (AEST). It was a vintage Kyrgios performance as the 31-year-old frustrated his opponent with powerful groundstrokes and big serves. He didn't face a single break point, holding serve with ease and threatening to break Moutet throughout.
In typical Kyrgios fashion, he entertained the crowd with tweeners, drop shots, and playful interactions. Speaking after the match, an emotional Kyrgios declared his thrill at being back on court.
"I feel great and motivated," he said. "(It's) quite (an) emotional moment. I had a lot of surgeries and I'm very thrilled to be back. I had a wrist reconstruction, I had four knee surgeries. But I'm back mostly because of the fans. I staying for you guys."
Grass Court Return Sparks Wimbledon Hopes
Kyrgios's return for the grass season has many wondering if he could be given a Wimbledon wildcard ahead of the Grand Slam, which kicks off at the end of June. Back in 2022, Kyrgios made the Wimbledon final. That same year, problems with his wrist began, and he hasn't been the same since. Before Wednesday, Kyrgios had last played a singles match in Brisbane in January, and before that, he had not played since March 2025. Since October 2022, he has played just seven singles matches and won only one.
However, Wednesday's match was his first on grass since the 2022 final, and he looked as comfortable as ever. The surface is ideal for Kyrgios with his serve-and-first-strike game style translating more efficiently than on slower courts. The absence of extended baseline rallies also helps his body, allowing for shorter points.
Wimbledon organisers will undoubtedly be keeping a close eye on how Kyrgios progresses through the tournament. If he can string another win or two together, it would be tough to see a world where they don't give the Aussie a wildcard. His return created much fanfare, and supporters are already licking their lips that Kyrgios could finally be back as good as ever after dispatching a top 50 player with consummate ease.
Reaction from the Tennis World
Social media erupted with praise for Kyrgios. Myles David wrote on X: "Nick Kyrgios hasn't won an ATP tour singles match since Miami '25 but he received a wildcard into the #BOSSOpen this week and just took out the 36th best player in the world, Corentin Moutet, in an hour and 7 minutes. Always giving us something to watch."
Prominent tennis account Pavvy G said: "I genuinely didn't think that Nick Kyrgios would look this good after his long period off the courts! One of the most sensational comebacks in Tennis today! Take a bow."
Jose Morgado added: "That was very, very impressive from Kyrgios. Much better than probably most expected."
Reddit was abuzz, with several threads blowing up over just how good the Aussie looked. One fan commented: "I have seen enough, Kyrgios is winning Wimbledon, to be the 4th man born in the 90s to become a slam winner." Another added: "Dude served like an absolute menace, impressive." A third noted: "Impressive to beat a guy in the top 50 or so after years of not playing. Curious to see how far Nick can go in a tournament."
Next Match
Kyrgios will face Sho Shimabukuro in the second round on Thursday (AEST).
