Kyrgios defeat blow to bid for Open wild card

NICK Kyrgios lost in straight sets on his latest singles comeback at the Brisbane International - dealing a blow to his hopes of an Australian Open wild card.

- BY ELEANOR CROOKS

The 30-year-old has played just six official singles matches in the last three years following surgeries on his wrist and knee, and his clash with American Aleksandar Kovacevic was his first since March.

Kyrgios has been a prominent figure on the exhibition circuit over the last month, not least with his victory over Aryna Sabalenka in their Battle of the Sexes clash in Dubai, but he could not replicate that on home soil, losing out 6-3 6-4.

Kyrgios admitted his physical struggles had dented his confidence, telling a press conference: "I thought I was the best player in the world.

"After you have these surgeries, 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.