Australian tennis star Thanasi Kokkinakis has undergone surgery to address a nagging pectoral injury that has hampered him for some time. The news, shared by the player himself via Instagram, casts a shadow over his immediate future on the court.
“Been struggling for a little while with this,” Kokkinakis posted, accompanied by a photo appearing to show him receiving medical treatment. “Probably my toughest challenge to date. I’ve been trying to find the answers to an ongoing pec injury that I haven’t been able to fix.”
The surgery comes after a challenging start to the year for Kokkinakis, including an early exit from the Australian Open. His decision to participate in higher-paying Challenger events prior to the Grand Slam drew criticism from some quarters, with questions raised about his preparation for the major tournament.
Kokkinakis, a former Australian Open doubles champion, achieved a career-high singles ranking of world No. 65 but has yet to reach the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam singles event. This latest setback represents a significant hurdle in his pursuit of that goal.
“Let’s see how this goes,” Kokkinakis concluded his Instagram post, expressing a cautious optimism. “Thank you for all your ongoing support.” He now faces a period of rehabilitation and recovery, the length of which remains unclear. The tennis world will be watching closely to see when and how the talented Australian returns to action.