Nick Kyrgios is back in action! The Aussie superstar and Norway’s Casper Ruud recently made a winning debut as a team after beating Jordan Thompasn and Sumit Nagal at the World Tennis League in Abu Dhabi. Shortly after the match, we saw Kyrgios putting up a social media post with the caption, “Funny how things do a 360 🤷🏽‍♂️ – what we calling this duo @casperruud 😤 absolute pleasure playing alongside you 🙏🏽🗣️.” After seeing this post, Ruud commented, “Fire & Ice!!” However, this isn’t the only moment of camaraderie between the two at the World Tennis League!

Recently, both Nick Kyrgios and Casper Ruud were spotted enjoying a fun activity in this mega event in Abu Dhabi. In that activity, both the players had to toss the ball up in the air and then they had to put it in the cups. Casper Ruud started quite well, but Nick Kyrgios fumbled a bit putting in the second one. The Aussie was heard saying, “OMG I’m chopped,” in that video clip shared by Amy Kitchingman on her IG stories. After that, Kyrgios hilariously tried to distract Casper Ruud by calling out his name. Did he succeed?

Well, not in the first attempt. However, when things were looking a bit out of hand for the Aussie in this fun game, he took foul tactics to secure a probable win over the Norwegian. Ruud tried his best not to miss a single chance of putting it in, but Nick Kyrgios had other plans. He was spotted deliberately throwing one cup out of the table and hence, Ruud failed to put that in. Truly, hilarious scenes! Nick Kyrgios even shared that video clip on his IG stories with the caption, “I got chopped lol.”

However, not everything was pretty in between the two a few years ago! Previously, Nick Kyrgios was a harsh critic of Casper Ruud. It all started at the Italian Open in 2019 when Nick Kyrgios threw a chair during their heated clash. Later, when asked to give his views on the incident, Casper Ruud claimed that the Aussie acted like an “idiot“. Ruud had even called out for a suspension of Kyrgios at that time. After hearing all these, the Aussie said, “Hey, Casper Ruud, next time you have something to say, I would appreciate you say it to my face. I’m sure you wouldn’t run your mouth so much after that. Until then I will continue to rather watch paint dry than watch you play tennis, boring as —.“

Not only that, there have been multiple such moments where Kyrgios was spotted taking a dig at Ruud. He even once approved a fan’s claim that Casper Ruud was “the most overrated player in the men’s top 10.” What does Ruud think of his relationship with Kyrgios? During the 2022 United Cup, he was heard saying, “I didn’t receive a Christmas card from him nor he a Chrissie one from me but if we see each other we can say hello. There are no hard feelings.”

Then interestingly during the 2024 US Open, Nick Kyrgios was seen heaping praise on the Norwegian. He tweeted, “Ruud going under the radar…… how times have turned, I really enjoy watching his tennis. Real talk.” So, it seems that everything has been settled between the two, now. Fans enjoyed seeing these two tennis stars sharing this hilarious moment during this mega event in Abu Dhabi. Apart from this, we also saw quite a few fans showcasing their excitement at seeing Nick Kyrgios back in action. What’s up next for the Aussie after the World Tennis League?

Nick Kyrgios is ready to roar in the 2025 season

The 29-year-old Aussie star has already made his intentions pretty clear. In October, during an interview with Code Sports, he said, “I am coming back because something is keeping me around the game… I think the one thing that is now on my target is a Grand Slam. I think that will be the only thing that will shut people up at the end of the day.” Nick Kyrgios will be using protected ranking to secure a place in the main draw of the 2025 AO. Interestingly, he hasn’t played at a Grand Slam event since September 2022. So, this is going to be a real challenge for this Aussie.

However, before the mega event in Melbourne, we’d see him in action in Brisbane. As per reports, Nick Kyrgios may also team up with Novak Djokovic to play doubles event at the Brisbane International. Talking about his incredible comeback, Mats Wilander was heard saying, “I think Nick has revolutionized the sport in many ways. Players are actually using part of his arsenal or his repertoire… if Nick goes out, and he plays his absolute best tennis, and if he wins the Grand Slam, I believe maybe for the first time ever, a single player would have ticked every single box that you can tick.” Wilander believes Nick Kyrgios has a “chance to do it all.“

On the other hand, others like Nicolas Mahut claimed, “Kyrgios hasn’t been back that long and of course, you can dream of the title at the Australian Open, but you have to be realistic.” After hearing this Nick Kyrgios came back with a reply saying, “When I hear someone like Mahut tell me to be realistic, I can’t help but question his credentials… I’ve accomplished far more in singles than Mahut could dream of in his entire career…My ability and belief will always drive me forward.” Do you think Nick Kyrgios can win big in 2025?