The Australian Open just got a lot less exciting for fans of Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis, aka the Special Ks.
The doubles duo, who won the title in 2022, has pulled out of the competition due to injury.
A Painful Decision
Thanasi Kokkinakis revealed that his “arm’s essentially cooked” and that doctors have advised him not to play.
The 28-year-old is struggling with a pectoral tear and a significant amount of scar tissue, which has been causing him a lot of pain.
“I’m going to need to do a serious procedure now, probably,” he said in a post-match press conference. “I’ve got to speak to as many experts as I can.”
A Brave Effort
Despite his injury, Kokkinakis still took to the court on Thursday night, determined to give it a go. However, it soon became clear that he couldn’t compete at his best.
“I knew it was going to be a big effort for him,” said Kyrgios, who thanked his partner for even stepping out onto the court.
The Injury Struggles
Kokkinakis has been struggling with his injury for years, and attempts to treat it without surgery have failed.
He was already serving restricted in his men’s singles match against Jack Draper on Wednesday night and was “distraught” about not being able to compete at his best.
What’s Next for the Special Ks?
Kyrgios has said that if they had full health, they “could do some damage in the doubles.” While he’s unsure about his singles future, he hasn’t ruled out playing doubles again next year.
“Doubles is a bit easier on the body,” he said. “I think we can still play amazing doubles.”
The Fans’ Support
The Special Ks are grateful for the support of their fans, who were excited to see them compete in the doubles tournament.
“We owe it to the public,” said Kokkinakis earlier in the week. “The support they’ve shown us, how much they love when we play.”
Unfortunately, it wasn’t meant to be this time around, but we can’t wait to see what the future holds for this talented duo.