Nick Kyrgios confirmed he expects to appear at the 2026 Australian Open “in some way,” even as recurring injuries force him to weigh the end of his playing career. The 30-year-old Australian was limited to four events in 2025 — Brisbane, the Australian Open, Indian Wells and Miami — compiling a 1–4 record as injuries curtailed his season.

This week Kyrgios returned to courtside activity at the Ultimate Tennis Showdown in Hong Kong, not as a competitor but in mixed off-court roles. After withdrawing because of injury he joined the commentary team and stepped in as coach for French veteran Richard Gasquet. “I really like it,” Kyrgios said of coaching Gasquet, who fell to China’s Jerry Shang in the quarterfinals. “He’s an absolute legend of the game… all the players here respect him. It’s an absolute honor to be next to him at the moment.”

Despite the time away from competition, Kyrgios told Unscriptd he remains active in preparation for a possible return. “I’m training pretty much every day and playing. I’m just not competing,” Kyrgios told host Josh Mansour. “The (ATP) Tour schedule’s nearly done, but there are a couple of events that I’m preparing for.” Those plans include high-profile exhibition appearances: The Garden Cup at Madison Square Garden on December 8, which will feature Naomi Osaka, Aryna Sabalenka and Tommy Paul, and a Battle of the Sexes–style match against world No. 1 Sabalenka in Dubai on December 28.

Kyrgios has been on a difficult injury path in recent years. He underwent knee and wrist surgeries and missed nearly two full seasons in 2023 and 2024. “I do know that I’m getting to the end of my tennis career now, especially with all these injuries,” he said. “I can’t do another surgery where you’re out for another six to nine months.” The former Wimbledon finalist in 2022 and 2022 Australian Open doubles champion with Thanasi Kokkinakis is focusing on closing his career on his own terms and ideally finishing in Melbourne. “I don’t know yet,” Kyrgios said when asked if 2026 would be his last season. “It’s just hard because I know what it takes to be at that level, and whether or not you can string those days together. That’s what’s tough…

The Australian Open has added a headline exhibition to its expanded Opening Week in 2026, with world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz confirmed as the leading pro in the Million Dollar 1 Point Slam. The event frames a single, high-stakes point as the deciding element: win that point and the eventual champion takes $1 million.

Tournament director Craig Tiley announced the format: the exhibition will pair Alcaraz and 21 other professionals against 10 amateurs drawn from across Australia. Matches are decided in a single point, with rock-paper-scissors determining who serves or receives. The winner of each point advances, and the final will be staged on Rod Laver Arena where the ultimate winner will be awarded the $1 million prize.

“I can reveal today that World No.1 Carlos Alcaraz will headline the pro player line-up in the Million Dollar 1 Point Slam—a thrilling new initiative where one point could win you $1 million,” said Australian Open tournament director Craig Tiley.

Tiley said entries will open at clubs nationwide and that Opening Week finalists will earn the chance to face the pros on Rod Laver Arena. “Whether you’re an amateur or a pro, the ultimate winner will walk away with the prize. Entries will open soon at clubs across the country, and during Opening Week, finalists will compete for a chance to face the pros on Rod Laver Arena,” Tiley added. “With more big names to be announced soon, you now have a million reasons to pick up a racquet and get ready for January.”

The expanded Opening Week will open the Melbourne Park precinct to the public from the first day and will include four nights of charity events in Rod Laver Arena, qualifying matches, open practices and live entertainment. Tiley noted the tournament welcomed 1.2 million fans in 2025 and said Opening Week aims to broaden access and spectacle.

Alcaraz arrives with a busy schedule of exhibitions and non-mandatory events on his calendar in 2025 and is currently sidelined after withdrawing from the Shanghai Masters due to an ankle injury. He sustained that injury during his run to the Tokyo title, where he defeated Taylor Fritz in the final.

Alcaraz has voiced concerns about schedule density: “The calendar is so tight, a lot of tournaments, no days off or not as much days off as I want,” he said at the Laver Cup. “I’m the kind of player who thinks there is a lot of mandatory tournaments during the year, and probably during the next few years gonna be even more tournaments… I mean, probably they are going to kill us in some way.”

Novak Djokovic responded to such concerns with a focus on choice in professional schedules: “Look, it’s an individual sport, so there are choices to be made,” Djokovic said in response to comments from Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek. “I see some players say there are rules imposed for the bonus… So you can miss the bonus. It’s the choice that you are willing to make if you want to play less.

“But then, there are exhibitions that players are signing up for as well, so it’s a little bit contradictory.”

Tournament director Craig Tiley has promised an extraordinary send-off at the Australian Open when Novak Djokovic chooses to retire, but he does not expect that moment to arrive in 2026. “All I can say is it’s going to be big. I hope it’s for a long time still, though,” he told Claytennis and RG Media . “He’s a great player and I would like to see him play longer. He still does extremely well.

Djokovic remains the last active member of the so-called Big Three after Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal stepped away in recent years. Federer staged his farewell at the 2022 Laver Cup and Nadal left after the 2024 season, with his big farewell taking place at Roland Garros this year. Djokovic attended both ceremonies, as did former world No 1 Andy Murray, who retired in 2024 with his hooray at Wimbledon last July.

Speculation about Djokovic’s retirement has grown after the 24-time Grand Slam champion finished a second straight season without lifting a major. He reached the semi-final at all four majors this year but was unable to convert any into a title.

Tiley said the tournament has plans for a memorable farewell but that it would be premature to reveal details now. “When the time comes… we do have some ideas! It would be premature to share them now. I don’t see Novak retiring anytime soon. He’s at the top of his game. “We’re more focused on having a great event in 2026. The US Open did a brilliant job, a really good event, and we’re looking forward to upping the ante even more.”

Djokovic himself downplayed talk of retirement after his Flushing Meadows defeat to Carlos Alcaraz, insisting he still believes he can compete, particularly in shorter matches. “I’m happy with my level of tennis, but, you know, it’s just the physicality of it. You know, I try to. As I said, you know, after the quarter-finals, the press conference, when I spoke to you guys, I said, you know, I’m gonna do my very best to get my body in shape, to sustain that level and that rhythm for as many hours as it’s needed, but, you know, it wasn’t enough,” he said.

He added: “So that’s something I, unfortunately, at this point in time, my career can’t control. So, you know, I can do only as much as I can do. And, yeah, it will be very difficult for me in the future to overcome the hurdle of senior Alcaraz in the best of five on the Grand Slams. I think I have a better chance. Best of three, but best of five, it’s tough.

“I’m, you know, not giving up on Grand Slams in that regard. Having said that, I’m going to continue fighting and trying to, you know, trying to get to the. To the finals and fight for another trophy at least, but, you know, it’s going to be a very, very difficult task.”