Kyrgios returned to singles with a victory over Moutet and announced a cautious start to the grass-court season
Nick Kyrgios opened his campaign at the ATP tournament in Stuttgart with a victory that, given his long break and series of health problems, carried considerably greater weight than a routine passage into the second round. The Australian tennis player defeated France's Corentin Moutet 6:3, 6:4 in the first round of the BOSS Open, an ATP 250 tournament played on grass in Stuttgart. According to the ATP Tour's announcement, Kyrgios played with a wild card from the organizers, and with the victory he secured his continuation in the tournament on a surface on which he has achieved some of the most notable results of his career. Moutet arrived in Stuttgart as a player from the upper part of the draw and as an opponent whose irregular rhythm, changes of pace and varied repertoire of shots are often difficult to read. Kyrgios, however, steered the match toward his own terms: he relied on his serve, short points and an aggressive first shot after the initial strike, so already in his first appearance after the break he showed that on grass he can still be an extremely awkward opponent.
The match was played on Tuesday, June 9, 2026, as part of the first round of the tournament in Stuttgart, and the result was also confirmed by the official ATP report from the tournament. Kyrgios won the first set 6:3, then maintained his advantage in the second and closed out the encounter 6:4. According to Sofascore statistics, the Australian put in 35 of 41 first serves, or 85 percent, and won 28 of 35 points after his first serve. In the entire match he did not face a single break point, while on Moutet's serve he converted two of three chances to break. Such a ratio is especially important in the context of a grass-court surface, where a stable serve and a small number of long rallies often determine the rhythm of a match already in the opening games.
Serve as the foundation of the comeback
Kyrgios's appearance in Stuttgart attracted extra attention because he is a player who in recent seasons has spent more time off the court than in a competitive rhythm. According to The Guardian's report, the 31-year-old Australian had not played a singles match since his appearance at the Brisbane International in January, where he lost to Aleksandar Kovacevic. The same source states that he missed the entire 2024 season and that behind him is a period marked by wrist reconstruction and multiple knee operations. After the match in Stuttgart, the ATP Tour carried his statement in which he described the comeback as emotional, stressing that because of numerous surgeries the road back had been demanding, but that already from the moment he stepped onto the court he felt strong support from the crowd. In such a context, the victory against Moutet is not only a first-round result, but also the first more concrete sign that Kyrgios's body can once again withstand competitive intensity.
On the court it was most evident that Kyrgios tried to reduce unnecessary risk in his movement and make maximum use of the elements of his game that traditionally give him the greatest advantage. According to the available statistics, he finished the match with six aces and one double fault, and held his service games securely enough that Moutet did not get a real chance to change the direction of the match. The Frenchman had five aces, but hit his first serve considerably less often, which opened space for Kyrgios to attack the second serve and create pressure in the key games. It is particularly noticeable that the Australian won 10 of 17 points on Moutet's second serve, which shows that he was not merely waiting for his opponent's mistakes, but was stepping into the court at the right time. Such an approach suits grass, where an opponent must not be allowed much time to regain balance after a weaker opening shot.
Kyrgios's game was not devoid of the elements by which he has been recognizable for years. According to reports from the match, he used drop shots, changes of rhythm and occasional spectacular moves, but this time they did not disrupt the structure of the contest. Instead of relying exclusively on improvisation, the Australian built most of the important points around the first serve and a short continuation of the point. This is especially important for a player returning after injuries because controlling the length of rallies reduces the need for prolonged defensive movement and sudden changes of direction. Moutet is a player who often tries to pull his opponent out of rhythm with unpredictable shot selection, but in Stuttgart he did not manage often enough to shift the match into zones that would have suited him. Kyrgios remained focused in his service games, and two breaks were enough for passage without additional complications.
A victory with weight greater than the first round
For Kyrgios, Stuttgart has for years been an important stop in preparation for the grass-court part of the season. In its tournament preview, the ATP Tour states that the BOSS Open is being held from June 8 to 14, 2026, at Tennisclub Weissenhof E.V. and that it is an ATP 250 grass-court tournament. The tournament comes immediately after Roland-Garros, in a period when players quickly adapt from the slowest Grand Slam surface to the fastest and lowest-bouncing of the main tennis surfaces. For a player like Kyrgios, who in his best days could win a large number of free points with his serve, grass is a logical court for a return. At the same time, returning to grass also carries risk because low bounces and short reactions require stability in the knees and explosiveness on the first step.
In the same tournament guide, the ATP Tour announced that the total prize money for the BOSS Open is 768,220 euros, while the winner in singles earns 250 points and 116,855 euros. These figures show that Stuttgart, although not a tournament of the highest category, has important competitive value in the short grass-court season. In this year's edition, special attention has been drawn by the seeded players and players who traditionally can quickly impose a serving rhythm on grass, while in the official preview the ATP stated that Taylor Fritz is the defending champion from 2025. Kyrgios's return further increased interest because he is a player who played the Wimbledon final in 2022, which is also confirmed by the official Wimbledon draw from that season. In the 2022 Wimbledon final, Nick Kyrgios was the finalist against Novak Djokovic, and that result remains the most important singles Grand Slam breakthrough of his career.
The victory against Moutet therefore cannot be viewed only through the prism of his position in the draw. It comes after a period in which Kyrgios often spoke openly about the uncertainty of continuing his career, and every return to the court was conditioned by his physical condition. The Guardian states that the Australian, after injuries and surgeries, questioned the point of continuing to play, but also that in Stuttgart he said the crowd's support had further motivated him. Such statements do not change the fact that his form will have to be confirmed match by match, but they open a more realistic space for assessing his condition. In Stuttgart he did not have to play a long match, he was not under break-point pressure and he did not show major fluctuations on serve, which are very concrete positive signs for a player making a comeback.
Moutet did not find enough answers
Corentin Moutet entered this match as an opponent who can complicate a match and as a player who does not fit into simple tactical patterns. According to The Guardian, the Frenchman was the world No. 36 at the time of the encounter, which makes Kyrgios's victory even more valuable given his lack of competitive continuity. Moutet's game often rests on changes in the height, spin and speed of the ball, and his left-handedness can create problems for opponents who do not have enough matches in their legs. In Stuttgart, however, he did not manage often enough to get into favorable rallies on Kyrgios's serve. The low effectiveness of his first serve additionally exposed him to pressure, so he spent a large part of the match trying to make up deficits in points in which the Australian attacked first.
Statistically speaking, the difference was not huge in every element, but it was clear enough in the most important areas. Sofascore states that Kyrgios won a total of 44 points and Moutet 35, while the Australian won 31 points on his own serve. Moutet won 25 service points, but the key problem was his vulnerability after the second serve and his inability to create pressure on Kyrgios's opening shot. When, against a player with such serving potential, one does not reach even a single break point, every lost service game carries additional weight. The Frenchman had moments of creativity and several shots that showed his skill, but they were not connected enough to change the basic direction of the match.
Moutet's defeat does not mean that he played without resistance, but that the format of play on grass and Kyrgios's level of serving did not leave him much room for longer tactical outmaneuvering. In matches on clay or slower hard courts, the Frenchman can often build points through longer exchanges and the breaking of rhythm, but in Stuttgart he had to react to fast and short sequences. In such an environment, Kyrgios could conceal any possible shortcomings in full match readiness because he was not forced to play too many exhausting points. This does not diminish the victory, but explains why grass is currently the most favorable starting point for him. Moutet, on the other hand, will above all have to draw conclusions from this match about his serve and efficiency in the opening shots, because that is precisely where he lost the largest share of control.
The next test and the question of continuity
After the match, the ATP Tour stated that Kyrgios will play in the second round against Japanese tennis player Sho Shimabukuro. The Guardian also states that before the continuation of his singles campaign he also has a doubles obligation with Alexander Bublik, which means that his physical condition will quickly be tested again. In the context of a comeback after injuries, that may be the most important question: not only whether Kyrgios can play one good match, but whether he can withstand a series of matches in a short period. The grass-court season itself does not last long, and the schedule between Stuttgart, other preparatory tournaments and Wimbledon leaves little room for gradually raising form. That is precisely why every hour spent on court has a double meaning, both sporting and medical.
After the victory, according to the ATP Tour, Kyrgios emphasized that he was satisfied with the level of his game and the way he felt physically, but he did not try to portray the comeback as a completed process. According to The Guardian, when asked about confidence he was cautious and said he still did not know whether that was the right word for what he was feeling. Such restraint is understandable after a multi-year period in which injuries interrupted almost every attempt at a stable return. His playing quality has never been in question, but professional tennis at ATP level requires the repetition of high standards day after day. Stuttgart will therefore offer the first answer as to whether Kyrgios can turn the victory over Moutet into the beginning of a more serious run, and not only into an isolated comeback moment.
In a broader sense, his return comes in a period when the grass-court season is quickly gathering pace and when attention is already beginning to turn toward Wimbledon, whose 2026 edition is played from June 29 to July 12 according to the tournament's official information. Kyrgios's name in that context carries special weight because of the 2022 final, but a past result guarantees neither a wild card nor competitive readiness. If he continues winning in Stuttgart, the discussion about his place in the grass-court season will become considerably more concrete. If physical difficulties appear again, the victory over Moutet will remain an important but limited sign of progress. For now, the most important thing is that Kyrgios returned to singles with a victory, without losing a set and without losing a service game, which for a first step after a long break was exactly what he needed.
Sources:
- ATP Tour – report from the tournament in Stuttgart and statements after Nick Kyrgios's victory over Corentin Moutet (link)
- ATP Tour – official guide to the BOSS Open 2026, with data on dates, location, schedule, prize money and points (link)
- Sofascore – match statistics for Nick Kyrgios against Corentin Moutet at the ATP tournament in Stuttgart (link)
- The Guardian – context of Kyrgios's comeback, injuries, previous appearances and further schedule (link)
- Wimbledon – official 2022 men's singles draw confirming Kyrgios's final against Novak Djokovic (link)