Nick Kyrgios will make his long-awaited return to Grand Slam tennis at the 2024 Australian Open, marking his first major tournament appearance since 2022. The fan favourite from Canberra will enter the tournament using a protected ranking of No. 21, securing his spot in the main draw.
Kyrgios, who has struggled with injuries throughout his career, will join 10 men’s players, led by top-10 contender Alex de Minaur, as one of 11 Australians confirmed for the Australian Open main draw.
The 28-year-old reached a career-high world ranking of No. 13 in 2016 and has previously enjoyed success in Melbourne, having reached the quarter-finals in 2015. Kyrgios is perhaps best known for his run to the 2022 Wimbledon final, where he lost to Novak Djokovic in four sets. He also made the quarter-finals at the 2022 US Open, his last major appearance before injury sidelined him for an extended period.
Kyrgios, who captured the men’s doubles title at the 2022 Australian Open alongside Thanasi Kokkinakis, will be eager to add a singles crown to his resume in Melbourne this year.
Other Australian men’s players gaining direct entry to the tournament include Alex de Minaur, Thanasi Kokkinakis, Alexei Popyrin, Jordan Thompson, Chris O’Connell, Aleksandar Vukic, Rinky Hijikata, James Duckworth, and Adam Walton. Olivia Gadecki is the only Australian woman who has received direct entry.
Swiss star Belinda Bencic will also make her return after a break following the birth of her daughter, Bella, in April. Kyrgios and Bencic are among 12 players—six men and six women—using protected rankings to secure their main-draw spots.
The organizers have set the entry cutoff for the main draws at world No. 98, with 104 players already accepting spots in both the men’s and women’s singles competitions. In addition to the 104 direct entries, organizers will grant eight wildcards, and the remaining 16 spots will fill through qualifying tournaments, with players set to compete in the final round of qualifiers at Melbourne Park on 9 January.
Defending champion Jannik Sinner, currently ranked world No. 1, will return to Melbourne to defend his title, while Novak Djokovic seeks his 11th Australian Open crown, aiming to extend his record for Grand Slam singles titles to 25.
In the women’s draw, Aryna Sabalenka, ranked No. 1, will look to complete a hat-trick of titles at Melbourne Park. The Australian Open will begin on 12 January.
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