After surgery and close to 16 months of around-the-clock rehabilitation, things began looking up for Nick Kyrgios. And yet here he is, dealing with pain once more.

If this was the last Australian Open singles match of Nick Kyrgios' career — and, to be sure, it's hard to know with him, no matter what came out at his news conference — the big-hitting, big-talking tennis player went out rather quietly Monday night.

Nick Kyrgios hinted at retirement while talking to reporters after his first round loss in a return to the tennis court at the Australian Open on Monday, January 13.