Nick Kyrgios has courted his customary controversy by swearing at an umpire in a brief return to Wimbledon, before confessing he will probably never be back on its grass.

The injury-plagued Australian was playing in his first match at the All England Club since losing the 2022 final to Novak Djokovic.

Playing doubles alongside Kazakh Alexander Bublik, he was a set and a break down to sixth seeds Marcelo Arevalo and Mate Pavic when he had an exchange with umpire Manuel Absolu.

“Honestly, at this point you can fine me, I honestly don’t even care,” Kyrgios said in response to an unheard comment from the French official.

“Honestly you can fine me, I don’t give a s—. All these rules are so dumb anyway.”

Kyrgios was fined three times, totalling $28,000, during the 2022 Championships, twice for swearing and once for spitting in the direction of a spectator.

Arevalo and Pavic went on to win Wednesday’s match 6-3 6-4.

“It would be hard to see myself coming back here again and competing,” Kyrgios said afterwards, adding toward the end of the match he was “looking around and taking everything in” and “it was tough”.

“That final (2002) was always going to be one of the better memories of my tennis career, but I just can’t see myself getting back to anywhere near that level,” he said.

Kyrgios did not say his career was over, nor would he be drawn on the prospect of a last hurrah at the 2027 Australian Open.

“I’ve just got so many thoughts right now,” he said. “You go from making finals of grand slams to struggling to play multiple singles matches.

“Going out with someone like Bublik who keeps it pretty lighthearted, it’s a lot of fun.

“But at the same time, a lot of things were running through my head the last couple of games.”

-AAP