Nick Kyrgios wants a match-up with Jannik Sinner at January’s Australian Open in light of the fallout from the world No.1’s doping case.

Aussie firebrand Kyrgios will make his return to the court next month having only managed one match in the last two years because of repeat injuries.

Having been one of the loudest critics of Sinner’s relatively light punishment while calling for the Italian to be handed a lengthy ban — Kyrgios did not hold back on the matter when appearing on the Nothing Major Podcast.

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Sinner failed two doping tests for an anabolic steroid in March.

He later explained that the banned substance entered his system after receiving a massage from his physiotherapist, who had recently applied a spray containing the steroid to treat a cut on his finger.

Sinner was cleared and freed to contest the US Open later that month, which he went on to win.

The World Anti-Doping Agency has since appealed the ruling that exonerated him and is pushing for a lengthy ban. A decision on the case will not be made until next year.

Last month it was also announced that women’s world No.1 Iga Swiatek had accepted a one-month suspension following a positive test for the banned substance trimetazidine.

Kyrgios most recently took a swipe online at both Sinner and Swiatek earlier this month.

“Feels good getting these consecutive days training in the bank man,” he wrote in a post on X.

“Wrist reconstruction and back out here … without failing any drug tests.

“Be proud Kygs doing it the right way.”

Speaking on the podcast, which is hosted by a group of retired American tennis stars, Kyrgios admitted that he and Sinner “don’t like each other”.

This could set the scene for a heated clash if the pair were to meet in the main draw at the AO.

“Let’s be honest, I just want to go out there and I really want to play Sinner,” Kyrgios said.

“I’ve thought about this — if I played him in the Australian Open — I would just get every single person in the crowd to get on him. I would just turn it into an absolute riot.

“All respect would go out the window and I would just do anything to win.”

Kyrgios declared that the aims of his comeback were to be “as controversial as possible” and to express himself authentically.

“I feel like why we love sport is because you have to have contrast in personalities,” he said.

“If I draw Sinner in the Australian Open third round, everyone will watch because it’s contrasting personalities. We don’t like each other, and I think it’s healthy in sport.”

It appears that the relationship soured between the two following Sinner’s doping furore as they shared a pleasant interview after Sinner claimed his maiden grand slam victory at this year’s AO.

Having last taken to the court in June 2023, Kyrgios confessed that he was not sure how his body would fare over the Australian summer of tennis.

Still combating the effects of knee and wrist injuries, the 29-year-old conceded it is a big job keeping himself fit and healthy these days.

“Every time I play tennis now, I’ve got to do an hour-and-a-half treatment after, like [for] my wrist,” he said.

“I lose feeling in my fingers sometimes. It’s tingling, so I’m definitely on the back end.

“I couldn’t see myself playing for another, max, a year-and-a-half, probably.”

Kyrgios will kick off his 2025 campaign at the Brisbane International before making his highly-anticipated return to Melbourne Park with a protected ranking of 21 — his average ranking in the first three months of his injury.

In contrast, Sinner has elected not to play in any warm-up tournaments ahead of his title defence Down Under.