Thanasi Kokkinakis returned to professional tennis at the Brisbane International, competing in doubles with Nick Kyrgios after a nearly 12-month absence due to a pectoral injury requiring surgery. The duo secured an initial victory before their campaign concluded in the round-of-16. Both players have a history of injury setbacks, which have impacted their recent professional schedules.
Return to Competition and Initial Victory
Thanasi Kokkinakis made his return to professional tennis on Sunday night, partnering with Nick Kyrgios in the doubles competition at the Brisbane International. This marked Kokkinakis's first tournament appearance in almost a year. The pair secured a victory against Matt Ebden and Rajeev Ram, grand slam champions, with a score of 5-7, 6-4, 10-8. Following the match, Kokkinakis stated he felt emotional, reflecting on his recovery journey over the past year.
Injury and Rehabilitation Details
Kokkinakis's 12-month absence from the court was due to a pectoral injury that necessitated surgery. The procedure involved the attachment of a donor's Achilles tendon to his shoulder. His rehabilitation process included consultations with various medical professionals globally, including a specialist known for treating Rafael Nadal. Kokkinakis described previous frustrations with his injury cycle, noting a pattern of achieving significant wins followed by further injury. He stated his resolve not to continue in that manner, even if it meant not playing again. The recovery period presented challenges, with days where he questioned his return to the sport. During his initial match, Kokkinakis reported that his serve was not yet at full capacity. His career-high ranking has been 65, and he has previously defeated Roger Federer in a professional match.
Brisbane Doubles Campaign Conclusion
Kyrgios and Kokkinakis's doubles campaign at the Brisbane International concluded in the round-of-16. They were defeated by France's Sadio Doumbia and Fabien Reboul with a final score of 6-0, 1-6, 10-6 in a deciding tie-break. The French pair took an early lead, winning the first set 6-0. The Australian duo then won the second set 6-1. During the match, Kyrgios's serve was broken early in the first set, and he was observed communicating with Kokkinakis. In the second set, Kokkinakis contributed with a backhand winner and an ace. Kyrgios also attended to Kokkinakis's neck during the match. Despite trailing 0-5 in the match tie-break, Kyrgios and Kokkinakis narrowed the gap to 8-6 before Doumbia and Reboul secured the final two points. Following the match, Fabien Reboul expressed well wishes for Kokkinakis and Kyrgios, acknowledging their injury histories.
Context and Future Outlook
Thanasi Kokkinakis and Nick Kyrgios previously won the Australian Open doubles title in 2022. Both players have experienced multiple injury setbacks in their careers since that time. Kyrgios has participated in six singles matches over the past three years due to various injuries. He commented on the intensity of rehabilitation, stating that the effort involved is often underestimated. Kyrgios also noted that he and Kokkinakis were surprised by their performance level in their return match.
Kokkinakis is scheduled to compete in singles at the Adelaide International the following week. Kyrgios is also scheduled to play singles on Tuesday against Aleksandar Kovacevic. The consideration of a potential Australian Open singles wildcard for Kyrgios is ongoing.