The last Grand Slam of the season is here, and the anticipation is high. Especially for players chasing that elusive major or trying to carry momentum into next year. Nick Kyrgios was one of the names fans had circled, hoping to see him back at Flushing Meadows. In 2022, he lit up New York with a run to the quarterfinals. But this season has been brutal for the Aussie—and for a handful of other stars who won’t make the trip.

Last month, Kyrgios reignited hope by activating his protected ranking to lock in a place at the US Open. The rule lets players sidelined six months or more rely on their old average ranking to re‑enter the main draw. But just today, the tournament confirmed on X that he has officially withdrawn from his third slam this year, giving way to a lucky loser to step in. No reason has been given for his withdrawal yet, just another twist in his unpredictable comeback story.

Nick Kyrgios won’t be alone watching from the stands. Paula Badosa pulled out, sidelined by a stubborn back injury—a psoas tear—hasn’t played since Wimbledon. Matteo Berrettini, the 2019 semifinalist, remains out with a right oblique problem. And Grigor Dimitrov hasn’t set foot on court since tearing a pectoral muscle at Wimbledon. The casualty list grows longer by the week.

And it doesn’t stop there. Artur Fils withdrew with a stress fracture in his back; meanwhile, Qinwen Zheng pulled out after elbow surgery. Then came Ons Jabeur, who revealed after Wimbledon that she needed time away to prioritize her mental well‑being. One after another, names are dropping. The US Open field suddenly feels thinner, even before the first ball is struck.

For Nick Kyrgios, injuries have been a relentless roadblock. In 2023, he suffered a ligament tear that demanded surgery, benching him for a grueling 18 months. When he finally made his comeback in January, hopes were high but the Australian Open had other plans—he bowed out in the first round to Britain’s Jacob Fearnley.

This season, Nick managed just one win at Miami against Mackenzie McDonald. But fate wasn’t done with him yet. His wrist gave way during his Round of 64 match, forcing an early retirement. Since then, the Aussie star has pulled out of doubles action at both the French Open and Wimbledon, proving the struggle continues, but his fighting spirit remains unbroken.

Nick Kyrgios talks about returning to tennis post-recovery

Last year, before making his comeback at the Australian Open, Nick opened up to 9News Melbourne about his chances of returning to competitive tennis. “Honestly, this is probably the best I’ve felt in two years.” He’s been brutally honest about the physical and mental battles he faced during recovery. What kept him going? “I always have wanted to leave the game of tennis myself. I wasn’t going to let this injury be the dictator of if I would ever play again,” the Aussie declared with determination.

His wrist injuries were no joke. Nick even shared how he had to practice using balls from “Under-10s training” just to get his wrist used to hitting again. At one point, he didn’t feel any progress at all. On an episode of the ‘Nothing Major’ podcast in December,  he recounted, “I’ve had major wrist surgery after 2022. I honestly felt I wasn’t going to play again. I was having pain in my wrist.” That kind of honesty hits deep.

Entering 2025, Nick’s season was rough. Early exits piled up at the Brisbane International, Australian Open, Indian Wells, Miami, and even doubles at the Citi Open with Gael Monfils. It’s been a challenging stretch for the former US Open semifinalist.

Back then, the Aussie reflected on how he wants to end his career on his own terms. But he’s also drawing inspiration from some of the sport’s greatest. “I look at how Andy Murray’s doing it now and how Rafael [Nadal] is going out; I don’t want to be like that either. I don’t want to be kind of crawling to the finish line in a sense. It’s like you’ve achieved everything. You deserve to go out, I think, a little bit more gracefully than he’s done. I think that the surgeries, the pain—it’s just not worth it, in my opinion,” he said with clear conviction.

Now that Nick Kyrgios is out of the US Open, the question stands: What’s next? Will this fan favorite return after some much-needed rest and recovery? What do you think? Drop your thoughts in the comments below!