Novak Djokovic, Nick Kyrgios to play doubles in Brisbane

Novak Djokovic and Nick Kyrgios will team up to play doubles at the Brisbane International, Kyrgios posted Monday on social media.

“Doubles at Brisbane. See y’all there,” Kyrgios wrote on his Instagram story with a photo of their meeting at Wimbledon in 2022.

The pair have developed a friendship after once being at odds when Kyrgios labeled the 24-time Grand Slam champion “boneheaded” and a “tool.”

The ATP 250 event runs from Dec. 29 to Jan. 5 and serves as a tuneup for the Australian Open, which begins Jan. 12.

Organizers of the Brisbane International did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment from Reuters.

Djokovic, 37, and Kyrgios, 29, have faced each other three times on the ATP Tour, with the Australian winning the first two encounters in 2017 before losing in four sets in the 2022 Wimbledon final.

Kyrgios, who is also scheduled to play in the Dec. 19-22 World Tennis League exhibition event in Abu Dhabi, has played just one singles tour match in the past two years because of knee, foot and wrist injuries.

He is set to make his competitive singles return in Brisbane and will play at the Australian Open with a protected ranking of 21st, where he will also be reunited with Thanasi Kokkinakis in the men’s doubles.

Kyrgios and Kokkinakis, dubbed the “Special Ks” as juniors, claimed their only major title in 2022 at Melbourne Park.

News of the Djokovic-Kyrgios pairing comes less than two weeks after Djokovic formally announced his intention to play Brisbane, as he preps to play for an 11th Australian Open title.

“I’m excited to be kicking off my Australian swing at the Brisbane International and to compete again at Pat Rafter Arena,” Djokovic said in a statement Dec. 4.

Information from Reuters and The Associated Press was included in this report.