Nick Kyrgios has opened up on the "unfair" nature of his injury layoff after making a disappointing return to action. Playing his first offocial singles match in 291 days, Kyrgios suffered a 6-3 6-4 defeat to Aleksandar Kovacevic in 66 minutes at the Brisbane International.

The former world No. 13 is still alive in the doubles draw with Thanasi Kokkinakis, and he's also been competing in exhibition events over the off-season, beating WTA No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in a Battle of the Sexes. But Kyrgios knows he will likely never be the player he was in 2022, when he finished runner-up at Wimbledon, won Washington, and was crowned the Australian Open men's doubles champion with Kokkinakis.

At the end of his standout 2022 season, Kyrgios picked up a knee injury and has barely played since. The 30-year-old has undergone multiple surgeries on his knee and wrist, and believes he is one of several top players whose careers have been derailed by major injuries.

"I mean, I had a wrist reconstruction and two knee ops. I'm never going to be - I think it's unfair. I use Thanasi as an example or myself as an example or [Juan Martin] Del Potro or [Dominic] Thiem or [Kei] Nishikori, we look at some of these people that were at the top of their game competing for Grand Slams, and then you have parts of your body that just fail and can't take the load of being at that top level. You know, that's what happens," he said.

"I mean, it's so hard for me to go out there, even on the practice courts sometimes, and realise that even the thought - there was a point in my life in 2022 or when I was, you know, winning like multiple titles in a year, there was an ultimate, there was actually, like, a delusion I generally thought I was the best player in the world. I think people confuse it, when you're at the top of the sport, I genuinely thought I was unbeatable. I'd go out on court, and I thought no one can genuinely beat me.

"You actually have that confidence and delusion that you are that person. I just don't think that after you have these surgeries or I guess they kind of pull you down, and it's like you don't have that belief anymore.

"It's sad, in a way, but that's just the reality. Like finals of Wimbledon, quarter-finals at US Open, I barely lost a match all year, and then you have I guess these surgeries that - I guess the people out there, they think that, you know, you just go under the knife and come back and it's just, you sit on the couch until he recovers and you throw him back out there and he's the same player. That's just not how it is. It's not reality. It's just sport."

Kyrgios is still alive in the Brisbane doubles event after he and Kokkinakis teamed up to beat the experienced pairing of Matt Ebden and Rajeev Ram. The current world No. 670 added: "So you can't be too upset. That's why you have to really be grateful for moments like that doubles match the other night, and the fact that I got through this and I'm ready to play doubles tomorrow, I'm still extremely happy with myself and proud of myself.

"All credit, by the way, I think it's selfish for me to talk about just myself all the time. Credit to my opponent today. He played lights out. You can tell that he's new to the tour, locked in, excited, and he's a hell of a player."

Kyrgios is still hoping to compete in his home Grand Slam tournament, the Australian Open, later this month. The former world No. 13 would need a main draw wildcard, and there are just three left for the men's singles event.

"This is a stepping stone. I actually just spoke to [Daniil] Medvedev in the locker room, and he's like, look, you play one match every now and then, it's not going to be the way you want it all the time," the Aussie added.

"As long as, you know, I feel good and I'm going to be able to try and use it as a building block, that's my goal obviously, and not just AO but this year, for whatever this year holds, I do want to continue to play as much as I can, and we'll see, yeah."