Nick Kyrgios says Tennis Channel debut makes him 'so hungry' to return from injury

"I was getting a coffee and saw you guys. You had a spare suit, a spare microphone, and here I am."

Nick Kyrgios was in good spirits to start his commentary debut on Tennis Channel on Wednesday, joining Jim Courier and Brett Haber to take viewers through the Nitto ATP Finals round-robin match between Daniil Medvedev and Alexander Zverev.

Kyrgios only played one match in 2023 due to knee, and later, wrist injuries that left him sidelined and forced him to miss all four Grand Slams—including Wimbledon, where he reached the final a year ago. But he boasts a 16-8 career record against Turin's elite eight, making Kyrgios uniquely qualified to talk tactics and break down the ATP Tour's best players as he continues his march towards a 2024 return.

"I'm doing everything I am to get back out there," he said, adding he's "so hungry" to return to court. "Every day, doing the rehab, doing the gym work, but to be here, to be able to watch the match we're about to watch ... I'm really looking forward to breaking it down for everyone out there."

Kyrgios is not the first active pro to try their hand at commentary, injured or not—Chris Eubanks has made the dual-role famous, while others who've done the same over the years include Taylor Townsend, Shelby Rogers and Sloane Stephens. But Kyrgios said that not having a coach for much of the last decade of his career has turned him into "a student of the game," which will serve him well as a commentator.

He's also unique qualified to discuss the ATP Finals in Turin, as he and fellow Aussie Thanasi Kokkinakis competed in the doubles event at the Pala Alpitour last year.

"I love watching tennis. I feel like I'm a bit of a student of a game," Kyrgios said. "I watch my own film, I have my own tactics ... I've played these guys a lot, and I know what they're going to be doing under pressure. I know how to have success, and equally, what their strengths are.

"Your whole year is work going into it, so I think there's added pressure, and you want to finish off the year in good style. All these guys have had probably the best seasons in the world, and they want to go out with a bang."

Kyrgios was on-form from the first minutes of the afternoon, calling Carlos Alcaraz "a stud" and Novak Djokovic "super-human," and "an alien from another planet" to kick off Tennis Channel Live, and will be in the booth for the duration of the ATP Finals in Turin.