Nick Kyrgios may be close to ending his career as a professional tennis player.
The Aussie has only played a handful of matches this year, and last played a ‘proper’ ATP Tour schedule in 2022.
Injuries have plagued Kyrgios‘ career, and it seems unlikely he will ever return to the top of men’s tennis.
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However, the good news for Kyrgios is that he already has his post-tennis career planned out.
Nick Kyrgios plans to play professional basketball in Europe after his tennis career
Appearing as a guest on the ‘Make Noise pod‘, Kyrgios outlined his plans for the future.
“I do want to play professional basketball at some stage,” he said.
“One of my next goals in my career is to play professionally at two sports, like I want to, whenever my tennis journey is finished, playing professional basketball somewhere in Europe would be a goal of mine.
“I want to be one of those athletes that played professionally in two sports at a decent level.”
Kyrgios is a big basketball fan and is often seen supporting either the South East Melbourne Phoenix (NBL) or the Boston Celtics (NBA).
He isn’t just a fan, either, as the Aussie plays basketball, too, and has helped organise several pick-up games down under.
Now, whether he is good enough to play professional basketball is another question.
Most professionals have dedicated their entire lives to basketball, whereas Kyrgios has dedicated his to tennis.
However, there is a skill gap between players who compete in the NBA and those who compete in Europe.
Many players deemed ‘not good enough’ often have a choice to make – retire or move to Europe.
The EuroLeague has proved a popular destination, and several teams in Greece, Turkiye, and Spain have offered players a valuable alternative to the NBA.
Those teams are also well known for having some of the best atmospheres in world sport, something Kyrgios would surely relish.
And there is even more good news for Kyrgios’ European basketball dream.
The NBA is expanding into Europe, creating a 16-team league that is expected to begin in October 2027.
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With roster spots to fill, perhaps one of the new ‘franchises’ in London, Athens, Lyon, Rome, or anywhere else in Europe will take a chance on Kyrgios.
Or a spot could open up in a EuroLeague team if NBA Europe poaches its best players.
And while the EuroLeague and NBA Europe will offer the most exposure, several other professional leagues could interest Kyrgios.
So, while his plan does seem far-fetched at first, there is certainly a non-zero percent chance that Kyrgios plays professional basketball before all is said and done.
How many tennis matches has Nick Kyrgios won this year?
Kyrgios dreams of playing professional basketball, but will want to maximise his tennis career before he switches sports.
The 31-year-old hasn’t been able to play anything close to a full schedule this year, although he did win a singles match in Stuttgart recently.
Nick Kyrgios’ 2026 singles record (1-3)
| Match | Opponent | Result | Score |
| Brisbane International – 1R | Aleksandar Kovacevic | LOSS | 3-6, 4-6 |
| Stuttgart Open – 1R | Corentin Moutet | WIN | 6-3, 6-4 |
| Stuttgart Open – 2R | Sho Shimabukuro | LOSS | 6-4, 6-7, 4-6 |
| Mallorca Championships – 1R | Adam Walton | LOSS | 3-6, 4-6 |
And Kyrgios has enjoyed success in doubles and mixed doubles too, winning three matches across the two disciplines.
Nick Kyrgios’ 2026 doubles/mixed doubles record
| Match | Partner | Opponents | Result | Score |
| Brisbane International – 1R | Thanasi Kokkinakis | Matthew Ebden/Rajeev Ram | WIN | 5-7, 6-4, 10-8 |
| Brisbane International – 2R | Thanasi Kokkinakis | Sadio Doumbia/Fabien Reboul | LOSS | 0-6, 6-1, 6-10 |
| Australian Open – 1R | Thanasi Kokkinakis | Jason Kubler/Marc Polmans | LOSS | 4-6, 6-4, 6-7 |
| Australian Open – 1R | Leylah Fernandez | Neal Skupski/Desirae Krawczyk | WIN | 6-7, 6-4, 12-10 |
| Australian Open – 2R | Leylah Fernandez | James Tracy/Anna Danilina | LOSS | 3-6, 1-6 |
| Stuttgart Open – 1R | Alexander Bublik | Jakub Paul/Ryan Seggerman | WIN (Withdrew after match) | 6-3, 2-6, 10-6 |
| Wimbledon – 1R | Alexander Bublik | Mate Pavic/Marcelo Arevalo | LOSS | 3-6, 4-6 |
He will have an opportunity to add to his win tally at the Washington Open next week, where he is expected to team up with the home favourite, Frances Tiafoe.
The Washington Open begins on Monday, July 27.
