Djokovic and Kyrgios shine in Brisbane with victorious doubles debut

Novak Djokovic, aged 37, and Nick Kyrgios, aged 29, captivated audiences during their inaugural appearance as a doubles team on Monday, leveraging significant fan support to achieve a victory of 6-4, 6-7, 10-8 against Alexander Erler and Andreas Mies at the Brisbane International.

The two former rivals have cultivated a strong friendship over the past few years, and their bond was evident at the bustling Pat Rafter Arena, where enthusiastic fans chanted their names, creating an exhilarating atmosphere.

"I want to express my gratitude to Nick for participating," Djokovic remarked.

"He mentioned recently that it should be a pleasure to play alongside him, and indeed it is. I am delighted to share the court with him as he makes his return."

"I haven't engaged in many doubles matches over the past five years, so I was simply following Nick's lead."

Kyrgios, making his return to competitive tennis after an absence of over 18 months due to injuries to his knee, foot, and wrist, displayed no signs of inactivity, nearly single-handedly securing the opening game with his powerful serve.

"What a game I played, huh?" Djokovic quipped to fans courtside after executing a volley that sealed the win.

Both players energized the crowd as they claimed the first set with a crucial break, highlighted by Djokovic's backhand winner around the net, followed by a deft lob that left Kyrgios in awe.

"I was genuinely surprised that he had moments of self-doubt," Kyrgios commented. "I thought, 'brother, you are the greatest of all time; go for it and do what you need to do.'"

This camaraderie stands in stark contrast to the past when Kyrgios had referred to Djokovic as a "tool" and "boneheaded" during the COVID pandemic, prior to the development of their friendship.

Kyrgios expressed his desire to appreciate every moment of his return.

"I was taking in the atmosphere, looking around at all the fans in this beautiful stadium. My comeback has been challenging due to injuries... I am uncertain how many more Australian summers I have left," he noted.

"I was truly enjoying the energy. I am thrilled to be back on the court. We promised each other we would do this at least once before either of us retires, so I am pleased that we are still in the doubles competition."

Kyrgios and Djokovic exhibited exuberant joy akin to that of schoolboys when the Australian maverick executed a daring shot between his legs during the second set. However, Erler and Mies managed to equalize in the match, leading to a tiebreak.

As the crowd grew increasingly animated, Djokovic propelled them to match point with two powerful serves, culminating in Kyrgios sealing the victory with an ace.

In the singles competition, Australia's Jordan Thompson made a remarkable comeback from a set down to defeat Italy's Matteo Berrettini with scores of 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, while defending champion Grigor Dimitrov overcame qualifier Yannick Hanfmann with a score of 7-6, 6-3.

Third seed Holger Rune faced a setback, losing 7-5, 6-3 to Jiri Lehecka, which poses a significant challenge to his preparations for the Australian Open commencing on January 12.

Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka secured a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Israel's Lina Glushko in Auckland, marking her return from a back injury that had sidelined her from several Asian tournaments and the Billie Jean King Cup at the end of the previous season.

Since her return from maternity leave at the beginning of 2024, the former world number one has struggled with consistency on the tour and currently holds the 57th rank.

Despite this, Osaka demonstrated her superiority over Glushko, who faced disruptive chants from anti-Israel protesters outside the venue.

On Sunday, Osaka remarked that the 2025 season could be pivotal in determining the duration of her career, emphasizing that she would not remain in the sport if her ranking did not improve.

"I hold great respect for all my fellow competitors, but at this stage in my life, if I am not ranked above a certain level, I do not envision myself continuing for long," stated the 27-year-old. "I would prefer to spend time with my daughter if I am not where I believe I should be and where I feel capable of being."