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.

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.