A crowd-pleasing doubles victory alongside good mate Thanasi Kokkinakis at Pat Rafter Arena has given Nick Kyrgios added belief ahead of his first singles clash since March on Tuesday.
Following an injury-plagued season – namely wrist and knee issues – the Canberran again started his comeback at the Brisbane International, as he did a year ago, with a first-round doubles win.
The 2018 champion’s task at hand is a first-time meeting against American Aleksandar Kovacevic, the world No.58 who grew up idolising Novak Djokovic.
“Ultimately I just want to go out there and put on a show for the crowd and for the fans and the people, to be honest. I have no agenda, and I don't care what my ranking is, don't care what titles I win,” Kyrgios said. “I just want to go out there and give the people a good show.”
Kyrgios made a measured return to competition through a string of exhibition matches in New York and Dubai last month, which gave cautious hope ahead of his favourite stretch, the Australian summer of tennis.
“When I was travelling to these places and was going in there, I see the crowd is packed, every seat's taken,” he said. “I'm, like, ‘well, maybe I actually did a pretty decent job’. I'm pretty proud of myself the last month and I'm just really looking forward to going out there and competing at the highest level again. It's all a blessing at this point.”
Reigning women’s champion and world No.1 Aryna Sabalenka also features in the day session at Pat Rafter Arena on Tuesday when she meets Spain’s Cristina Bucsa in her first singles outing of 2026.
Like Kyrgios, Sabalenka enjoyed a doubles win at Pat Rafter Arena as her first hit-out of the new season alongside her best friend on tour, former world No.2 Paula Badosa.
A winner of four titles last season, including the successful defence of her US Open crown, Sabalenka faces 28th-ranked Bucsa for the second time having beaten her en route to the title at Flushing Meadows last year.
When asked to narrow down what brought out her best so often in Australia the top seed put it down to one factor.
“Definitely not the heat, but people, yeah. I think people. I think the atmosphere, like here, it's always full crowd,” she said. “Everyone is really engaging a lot with tennis. Also Melbourne, the support there is incredible.
“I'm always super motivated when I come to Australia. I love playing here. I want to stay here as long as possible.”
Following her Brisbane trophy run last year, Sabalenka came within a match of claiming a three-peat of Australian Open titles before Madison Keys had her number.
The fifth-ranked Keys returned to Australia last week for the first time as a Grand Slam champion ahead of her Brisbane International campaign.
The American takes on compatriot McCartney Kessler for the first time in the opening match at Pat Rafter Arena on Tuesday.
A pair of former Brisbane champions headline the night session when Grigor Dimitrov and Elena Rybakina launch their respective seasons.
Dimitrov, a champion in Brisbane in 2024 and 2017, meets a familiar rival in former world No.10 Pablo Carreno Busta for the eighth time.
The former world No.3, who holds a 4-3 record against the Spaniard, looks to rebuild momentum following a pectoral muscle injury suffered at Wimbledon, which ruled him out for most of the second half of last year.
Former Wimbledon champion Rybakina, a winner in Brisbane two years ago, carries a 2-1 record into her clash against Chinese veteran and qualifier Zhang Shuai.
The Kazakhstani rounded out last season winning the WTA Finals over Sabalenka for the biggest prize cheque in women’s sport history.
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