Nick Kyrgios expressed his fears of never returning to professional tennis before securing his first ATP Tour victory since 2022 at the Miami Open. On Wednesday, the Australian tennis star made a remarkable comeback, defeating Mackenzie McDonald with scores of 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.

Kyrgios has faced a challenging two years, marred by injuries that kept him out of the game. After a wrist surgery in September 2023, he retired early from the Indian Wells due to ongoing issues with his right wrist. Before that, he battled knee and foot injuries for 18 months, making his return at this year's Australian Open.

"To come off and get a win and feel like I belong again was special," Kyrgios said, reflecting on his victory. He admitted having doubts about his ability to continue in the sport, "I never thought I would play tennis again to be brutally honest with you. I was having conversations with my camp and my team... and I said: 'I don't know how long I can keep doing this for.'"

The match started roughly for Kyrgios, who lost his first service game and eventually the first set. However, the 2022 Wimbledon finalist found his rhythm, hitting the ball with precision to claim the next two sets and the match.

Next, Kyrgios is set to face Russian Karen Khachanov, but he remains cautious about his physical condition. "This [win] puts some petrol in the tank but I need to be realistic and see how my wrist feels tomorrow because it is a grind out here," he added, emphasizing the resilience required to compete at this level.