Nick Kyrgios’ return to the Australian Open is over after he and partner Thanasi Kokkinakis stopped playing while trailing in the second set of their first-round doubles match.

Nick Kyrgios dropped a bomb at the Australian Open this week, revealing he can’t see himself playing men’s singles at Melbourne Park again.

The 29-year-old’s Australian Open return was short-lived — and he warned it could be his last singles match in his homeland.

Alex de Minaur, the world No. 8, and Nick Kyrgios, who is back after a two-year battle with knee and wrist injuries, are the headliners for their country at Melbourne Park. Kyrgios emceed the night session on John Cain Arena Monday, before De Minaur headlines Rod Laver Arena, the pantheon of Australian tennis Tuesday night.

If this was the last Australian Open singles match of Nick Kyrgios' career — and, to be sure, it's hard to know with him, no matter what came out at his news conference — the big-hitting, big-talking tennis player went out rather quietly Monday night.

After months of interminable hype and speculation, Nick Kyrgios finally made his grand return to the Australian Open. Despite having a low bar set for him after missing almost two full years, Kyrgios still laid an egg in front of his home crowd in Melbourne.

Nick Kyrgios raged at an Australian Open umpire after his doubles partner Thanasi Kokkinakis was given a code violation for hitting the ball out of play. Kokkinakis was pulled up in the first set against Aleksandar Vukic and James Duckworth for launching the ball into the stands in frustration, before he and Kyrgios later retired.

Nick Kyrgios says he is good for tennis and the sport will get a boost from his return to Grand Slam action at the Australian Open.

Nick Kyrgios hinted at retirement while talking to reporters after his first round loss in a return to the tennis court at the Australian Open on Monday, January 13.

Nick Kyrgios is facing an anxious wait to discover if he will be able to play in what could be his final Australian Open match.

World No 1 Jannik Sinner makes it 16 wins in a row; No 5 seed Daniil Medvedev dumped out of Australian Open by 19-year-old American Learner Tien in five-set epic; Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis p