Watch: Kyrgios set to return after year-long layoff, says 'didn't miss the game that much'

Nick Kyrgios opted out of last year's US and French Open due to the pandemic and during that time he emerged as a moral voice of the tennis.

Melbourne: Ahead of his return to the court following a year-long layoff, the bad boy of tennis Nick Kyrgios on Saturday said he didn't miss tennis, nor the people in it. The Australian star, however, is excited to be back and feels mentally refreshed.

Acapulco Open 2020 was the last professional tennis event, where Kyrgios was seen in action before he was forced to take a break due to wrist injury and then the COVID-19 pandemic put a halt to all sporting activities.

The 25-year-old also opted out of last year's US and French Open due to the pandemic and during that time he emerged as a moral voice of the tennis.

Kyrgios, who is known for his antics on and off the field, blasted the likes of Novak Djokovic, Alexander Zverev for their behaviour during COVID-19 induced lockdown.

"I don't miss too many people on the tour, to be honest. Apart from all the Australian guys," he said at Melbourne Park.

Kyrigos is set to make his comeback on the court in the ATP Murray River Open next week before the first grand slam of the year kick-starts on 8th Feb.

"I'm not going to lie, I didn't miss the game that much," Kyrgios said, before adding, "I'm a competitor, I compete with everything I do. But I was playing computer games, all that kind of stuff, getting my little competitive edge there. I didn't really miss the game at all."

Kyrgios further said that the break allowed him to focus on "things that actually matter".

"In my time off I wasn't thinking about tennis at all. I was going through a couple of off-court things," he said. "My mum was not so healthy. I was focusing on things that actually matter to me personally. Tennis to me is not my top priority."