Watch the 2020 Kooyong Classic LIVE, FREE and in HD on SBS at 1pm (AEDT) daily from Tuesday January 14 - Thursday January 16 or stream LIVE via SBS On Demand.
Despite being outplayed by Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut in the semi-finals of the ATP Cup in Sydney on Saturday, Kyrgios has looked sharp during the early part of the Australian summer.
He beat Germany’s Jan Lennard Struff in the first group tie in Brisbane, before high quality wins over Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas and Cameron Norrie of Great Britain.
In the quarter final against the Brits, Kyrgios teamed with Alex de Minaur to produce superb drama and win the deciding doubles 18-16 in a nail-biting finale.
After a few days recuperation, Kyrgios returns to the Kooyong Classic where last year he lost to fellow Australian Bernard Tomic.
He will be looking to generate more confidence leading into the first Grand Slam of the new decade.
“Overall he’s been in good shape so far this summer, Nick sets the agenda both on and off the court. He’s a magnet for the fans and we are delighted to welcome him back,” Kooyong Classic tournament director Peter Johnston said.
US Open semi-finalist Matteo Berrettini and ATP finals winner Tsitsipas are the latest players to join Kyrgios in the star-studded field.
Berrettini shook up the tennis hierarchy by reaching his first grand slam semi final at last year's US Open, losing to eventual champion Rafael Nadal before being named the ATP’s most improved player.
The big serving Italian, ranked eight in the world, joins rising Greek star Tsitsipas who comes into the event off the back of mixed form in the inaugural ATP Cup.
Last year at 21 years of age, he became the youngest winner of the year ending ATP Finals since Lleyton Hewitt in 2001.
Tsitsipas created another type of headline at the ATP Cup, after smashing his racket in rage during the loss to Krygios in Brisbane, unintentionally injuring his father Apostolos.
His mother Julia, a former professional player, then later scalded her son courtside in what turned out to be comical sideshow to the group match. Both parents are expected to be at Kooyong this week.
Tournament director Peter Johnston is looking forward to the passion Tsitsipas brings to the court.
“He is so entertaining and always leaves his heart out there that’s what people love about him,” he said.
The Kooyong field also boasts former world number one, Russia’s Maria Sharapova, who will get the 2020 event underway in the first match on Tuesday (AEDT).
Despite not winning a tournament in over two years and being beaten in her first match at the Brisbane International after suffering from a virus, Sharapova will play in the Australian Open - where she won in 2008.
It will be her 16th appearance at Melbourne Park after the Russian received a wildcard into the event.
Former US Open champion Marin Cilic, Wimbledon finalist Milos Raonic and three-time grand slam semi-finalist Grigor Dimitrov are also playing this week at the traditional home of tennis in Australia.
The AgBioEn Kooyong Classic will also see new broadcast innovations introduced to the coverage with the debut of Point Bank and Comet Technology.
Point Bank tracks on-court winning streaks which until now, and surprisingly, have lacked attention from the tennis world.
It records the number of points a player has won consecutively and then provides a guide to in-match momentum and possible tell-tale signs towards winning or losing overall, according to Harvey Silver, producer of the global television coverage of the 2020 event.
Comet technology is another new way of looking at tennis - it tracks the ball flight and can better highlight rally shape and tactical strengths and weaknesses.
"Comet gives you the idea of ball trajectory, very similar to the ball tracer in golf, it’s a real addition to this year’s coverage,” says former tennis-pro Johnston said.
2020 Kooyong Classic day 2 schedule
Marin Cilic (CRO) v Soonwoo Kwon (KOR)
Marc Polmans (AUS) v Matteo Berrettini (ITA)
CoCo Vandeweghe (USA) v Jennifer Brady (USA)
