Nick Kyrgios leads field at Murray River Open as 11-month tour hiatus ends

The Canberran will headline the field at Melbourne Park for the ATP 250 tournament that starts January 31, joining former Grand Slam champions Stan Wawrinka and Marin Cilic.

The tournament is one of four events part of the Melbourne Summer Series to be held alongside the ATP Cup, with two WTA 500 and ATP 250 filling the lead up to the Australian Open.

Kyrgios has not played in an official tour match since retiring from the first round of the Mexican Open in late February, having opted to remain in Canberra following the global outbreak of COVID-19.

Like Kyrgios, world No.1 Ash Barty will make her first competitive appearance after a long layoff to headline one of two women's tournaments - with the top 32 ranked players to be split between the Gippsland Trophy and Yarra Valley Classic.

"Having 49 of the world's top 50 women, and an outstanding men's field commit for the Melbourne Summer Series is a huge bonus for fans and promises quality matches for players leading into the Australian Open," said Tennis Australia head of major events Cameron Pearson.

"There's no doubt this will be an historic week of tennis, and is the biggest-ever AO lead-in week we have seen in Australia."

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The Melbourne Summer Series has prizemoney of more than $2.2 million and each event has been named after a key region of Victoria.

It follows Kyrgios' omission from Australia's ATP Cup team despite being the hero of last year's inaugural campaign.

His absence from the ATP Tour saw Kyrgios fall to world No.46, slipping behind countrymen Alex de Minaur (23) and John Millman (38).

Given the two singles slots are taken by the highest-ranked players from each nation, de Minaur and Millman will lead the charge alongside doubles star John Peers and Luke Saville.