New Delhi, Oct 10 (IANS): Nick Kyrgios is touting his long-awaited grand slam comeback in season's opening major Australian Open, tournament director Craig Titley said.

The 2022 Wimbledon finalist has only competed in one event in the past two years – a straight-sets defeat to China’s Wu Yibing in Stuttgart 16 months ago – because of knee and wrist injuries that sidelined him.

Kyrgios' injury-plagued season comes following a standout year in 2022 when he reached the Wimbledon final and won the ATP 500 event in Washington D.C.

"The one we're keeping an eye on will be Nick Kyrgios – Nick will be back. Well, like every other player, we'd love to have Nick back. He brings a big game and bigger energy to the AO – he’s truly an excitement machine – and we can’t wait to see him back," Titely told Channel 9 News.

"We know he's out there practicing and preparing for the summer. He loves playing in Australia. We expect him to be back and we know he's on track with that preparation, but a lot can play out in the next couple of months. But we look forward to seeing Nick back," he added.

The 29-year-old, who also won the 2022 Australian Open doubles crown with Thanasi Kokkinakis, reached the second round on his last singles appearance at Melbourne Park in 2022, where he lost in four sets to eventual finalist Daniil Medvedev.