Australian firebrand Nick Kyrgios has finally announced when he will return to the tennis court, but has also dropped a bombshell hint that his time in the sport is rapidly coming to an end.

Kyrgios, 29, has played just one competitive match in two years, with the 2022 Wimbledon finalist struggling with knee and wrist issues that have kept him sidelined.

The Australian star has previously revealed how he has toyed with the idea of retiring from the sport, but has promised his adoring fans that he will return soon.

Speaking on Instagram live on Tuesday, he said he’ll make his return at the Australian Open in January, and also play at warm-up events.

Shortly afterwards, Kyrgios posted a cryptic message to Instagram indicating that his retirement is fast approaching.

‘Tennis … damn … it’s been A CRAZY JOURNEY!!!! It all started because of you. FOREVER GRATEFUL. I love all my FANS. There are only a few chapters left,’ he wrote.

In an interview last December, Kyrgios admitted he is ‘exhausted’ from the tour grind and that in an ideal world his professional career would already be over.

‘If it was up to me, I don’t really want to play anymore to be honest,’ Kyrgios said.

 ‘I’m exhausted, I’m tired. I have had three surgeries now that … I’m only 28 years old, I always wanted to have a family and not be in pain.

‘When I get up, I can’t walk without pain. It’s a tough gig.’

The mercurial talent – who is arguably Australia’s most polarising athlete – withdrew from the Australian Open in January due to injury.

Kyrgios has impressed as a commentator while recovering from injury, working for Eurosport during the Australian Open and BBC during Wimbledon.

However, the BBC’s Kyrgios coup was criticised by women’s campaigners given the Australian pleaded guilty to pushing Chiara Passari onto a pavement in Canberra in 2021, although avoided a criminal conviction.

‘The BBC should hang its head in shame at this appointment,’ said Caroline Nokes, the Conservative MP and women and equalities committee chair. ‘It’s a disgrace and shows the utter contempt our national broadcaster has towards women.

‘Not content with consistently underpaying their own female staff and forcing out women once they hit a certain age, they now bring a man who admitted assaulting a woman on board for Wimbledon.’

Jamie Klingler, co-founder of the Reclaim These Streets campaign group, added: ‘It’s amazing how quickly we are willing to dismiss violence against women as long as the man perpetrating that violence is good at hitting a ball.’

Kyrgios has a reputation as the bad boy of tennis, having received multiple fines for racket abuse and audible obscenities throughout his colourful career.

During his Wimbledon final defeat to Novak Djokovic two years ago, BBC commentator Andrew Castle was even forced to issue an on-air apology when the Aussie hothead was heard loudly swearing in front of a crowd which included Prince George.