Thanasi Kokkinakis has battled through injury issues to pull off a brilliant victory in his long-awaited return to singles tennis at the Adelaide International.
The Australian looked almost ready to retire injured part way through Monday night’s clash with Sebastian Korda, who pushed the local hero to a third-set tie-breaker.
“Oh man, it’s been a rough 12 months but (this) just makes it all worth it,” Kokkinakis said in his on-court interview.
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“I had my eye on this … I knew I’d come to a packed crowd and everyone cheering, so it was incredible, thank you so much, I love it here.”
Kokkinakis won 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7-3).
Four years after winning the Adelaide International, Kokkinakis said he had “worked so hard to even give myself a chance to get back on this court” and admitted he almost didn’t finish Monday night’s match.
The Adelaide-born 29-year-old was leading 3-0 in the second set when he called for medical attention.
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He had his right sleeve rolled up and was clutching at his shoulder with his pain obvious.
“Second set I hit a serve and didn’t feel great, I was talking to my team every two minutes, (about) whether I should stop,” Kokkinakis said post-match.
“I felt like even if I win, at what cost?
“But, I don’t know, I always try to win, and especially here in Adelaide.
“I don’t know if i can go any further but I love it here so I’m trying my best.”
The medical trainer came on to the court as replays showed the injury happening in the second game of the second set after serving an ace.
“He grabbed at his shoulder and looked over at his team, let’s hope this isn’t serious,” caller Peter Psaltis said on Nine.
John Millman noted the ace was out wide and landed shorter in the court, which meant he had full extension.
“Which is where you put the shoulder under the most amount of pressure,” he said.
Kokkinakis received massaging on the shoulder, with close-up footage showing a scar from previous issues.
Following the medical timeout, Kokkinakis returned and broke the serve of Korda.
The trainer returned at 4-1 for a quick consultation before the set was taken at 6-3. The 29-year-old won with an ace and immediately grimaced before heading to the dressing room.
Before facing Monaco’s Valentin Vacherot in the second round, Kokkinakis will have a rest day on Tuesday.
“We are so far away from the courts tomorrow,” he said.
“I’m going to be put on ice tomorrow, try and take the strongest painkillers, see as many physios as I can and hopefully I can come again on this court and give it a crack.”
His parting message to the adoring home crowd: “I’m doing my best.”
Kokkinakis’ last singles match was in round two at the Australian Open last year when he lost in five sets to Jack Draper.
What followed from that was radical pectoral reattachment surgery for an injury that’s plagued him for the majority of his career.
His return came in two doubles matches with Nick Kyrgios at the Brisbane International on January 4 and 7.
