Thanasi Kokkinakis Will Miss The Australian Open Due To A Shoulder Injury

The first big withdrawal from the Australian Open was announced earlier today when Thanasi Kokkinakis posted on social media that he would be unable to play the first Grand Slam of the season due to a left shoulder injury.

“I’m shattered to let you all know I’m still having issues with my shoulder and won’t be able to play any of the events in Australia this summer,” Kokkinakis posted on Instagram. “My team and I had hoped a good rest at the end of the season would fix the problem, but it now turns out I’ll need to have some minor surgery and will be out for the next few months. I’m confident this is just a small setback and having it done now is the best option for the long term.

“I was really pumped for the Aussie summer, and looking forward to playing in Adelaide, Brisbane and especially the Aussie Open, so I’m pretty devastated I’ll miss my favourite events of the year.”

The 19-year-old has been one of the brighter future stars on the ATP circuit. He finished 2015 ranked No. 80 after a third round at the French and a second round effort in Australia. He also shined in Davis Cup play and qualified at six ATP level events.

Together with Nick Kyrgios and Bernard Tomic, Australian hopes are high for the future. But Kokkinakis’s withdrawal will put a damper on the event and the local fans.