Thanasi Kokkinakis’ Australian Open is in doubt after a shoulder injury forced him to withdraw before a match at home in Adelaide.
Kokkinakis upset Sebastian Korda in the opening round of the Adelaide International after being sidelined for 12 months following pectoral surgery, but was visibly in pain during the victory.
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After a day to recover, Kokkinakis determined he was unable to compete in the second round against Valentin Vacherot, handing the Monegasque a walkover.
While Kokkinakis’ exact status is unclear being unable to compete at all throws his Australian Open return into some doubt. He is entering the main draw through a protected ranking.
“There was a lot of times (in the match) I thought about stopping, and am I going to do more damage if I keep playing?” he said after beating Korda.
“But it’s really hard to stop. Maybe for the sake of my body, it was smarter if I stop.
“But playing your home tournament, the only title I have won in singles, it makes it really hard to just be like, ‘Yeah, I think I’ll stop here.’”
Kokkinakis said on social media he was “very sad to have to pull out of my favourite event” with his arm “not quite ready yet after missing a year off”.
Aussie takes down Tsitsipas in round 1 | 00:56
Meanwhile at Melbourne Park, Bernard Tomic’s dream of a grand slam return is over after losing in straight sets to Britain’s world No.185 Arthur Fery.
The former world No.17 won his first match at the Australian Open in five years when progressing through the opening round of qualifying, but couldn’t stop the 23-year-old Briton, 6-4 6-2.
However fellow local Dane Sweeny is a win away from the main draw after beating Switzerland’s Jerome Kym 6-4 6-4.
James McCabe fell in a thrilling match tiebreak against No.23 seed Nicolai Budkov Kjaer, 4-6 6-3 7-6(6).
On the women’s side Olivia Gadecki fell short of upsetting former US Open champion Sloane Stephens.
The 23-year-old Aussie took the opening set 6-3 but dropped the next two 3-6 3-6 ending her hopes of a fourth consecutive main draw appearance.
She earned direct entry in 2025 but required wildcards to play her home slam in 2023 and 2024.
Wildcard pair Elena Micic and Lizette Cabrera also lost their second-round matches while Tina Smith was forced to retire leading 6-1 2-5 with a suspected right knee injury.
Storm Hunter, Jason Kubler and Maddison Inglis are scheduled to play this evening.
REIGNING CHAMP’S OPEN LEAD-UP VICTORY
Defending Australian Open champion Madison Keys overcame some first-set serve wobbles to win her latest warm-up match for the opening Grand Slam of the year on Wednesday.
The 30-year-old American, who will be seeded ninth when the Australian Open begins on Sunday, beat Czech teenager Tereza Valentova 6-4, 6-1 at the Adelaide International.
Keys, who won in Adelaide last year before going on to lift her maiden major, served up seven double faults in the opening set against the 18-year-old.
She improved in the second, breaking twice and converting her third match point to reach the quarter-finals after an 85-minute workout on court.
“Experience helps get through the tricky moments,” Keys said.
“I was able to take momentum in the second set and play really well. I had to raise my level. You have to take your chances on any opportunities you get.”
World number 60 Valentova is one of a number of rising young talents on the women’s circuit.
Keys said that facing the new generation was always a challenge.
“I have to lean on my experience a little bit. They are so young, have so much energy and are just so good. You expect them to play great tennis.”
The American will face another teenager, 17th-ranked Victoria Mboko, in the last eight.
The 18-year-old Canadian announced herself on the world stage last year by winning the WTA 1000 title in Montreal and the Hong Kong Open.
Keys began her 2026 Australian Open preparations last week in Brisbane, losing in the quarter-finals to world number one Aryna Sabalenka in a rematch of last year’s Australian Open final.
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