Injury-plagued Australian firebrand Nick Kyrgios has retired hurt from his first-round match at Indian Wells in a major blow for his comeback.

The controversial Canberran trailed Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp 7-6 (9-7) 3-0 in their match at the BNP Paribas Open on Thursday night when he pulled out due to a right wrist injury.

Kyrgios, who held a set point in the first set tiebreaker, spoke with the trainer before becoming visibly upset knowing his night was over.

The 29-year-old wiped away tears before walking over to van de Zandschulp and conceding the match.

If Kyrgios had won, he would have played the legendary Novak Djokovic in the second round.

The withdrawal follows Kyrgios’s first-round exit at January’s Australian Open, after which he said he had likely played his last singles match at Melbourne Park. 

It was his first appearance at a major since making the 2022 US Open quarter-finals, before then requiring wrist and knee surgeries.