A Persistent Struggle
Australian tennis star Thanasi Kokkinakis has once again found his future in question after a severe injury setback derailed his latest comeback at the French Open. The 30-year-old, known for his resilience and determination, was forced to withdraw from his second-round match against Spanish veteran Pablo Carreno Busta during the third set due to a recurrence of his chronic right shoulder problem.
Kokkinakis had shown remarkable bravery in the match, managing to level the score at a set apiece (5-7, 6-4) after two hours of play under the intense 32C heat at Roland Garros. However, he was clearly in discomfort throughout the match, frequently shaking out his serving shoulder and receiving physio treatment after the second set.
During the break, he spoke with his team but ultimately decided to continue the third set. He lost the first game, and before his own service game, he realized there was no way he could proceed. He hit the balls away and walked to the net, where Carreno Busta offered him sympathy.
A Disheartening Setback
Kokkinakis admitted that he was struggling with the same injury that has plagued his career. “I could feel it getting worse. I came into the match with a lot of doubts because I wanted to go out there and give it a crack, but I knew it didn’t feel right. It progressively got worse with the match,” he said.
When asked if he would be flying home, he replied, “Not yet, not yet. If I’d kept playing, that’s me probably out of Wimbledon and maybe even US Open, and something bad could happen. I’m trying to be optimistic; I just want to play the slams one more time. That’s my goal.”
This setback was particularly disheartening for the Adelaide-based player, who had recently written a new chapter in his long battle with injuries by defeating Frenchman Terence Atmane in an exhausting five-setter on Monday. However, he had feared that the recovery from a grueling four-and-a-quarter-hour match in the sun would be challenging, and it ultimately proved too much for a player who has only managed to complete four matches since groundbreaking pectoral surgery in February 2025, which involved attaching a dead man’s Achilles to his shoulder.
Kokkinakis had planned to give himself 12 months to play in the four Grand Slams and see if it was possible to extend his career.
Support from Opponents
Carreno Busta expressed deep sympathy for Kokkinakis, saying, “I’m so sorry because he’s a great guy, a great opponent, and I hope he can recover 100 per cent in the future. I know that injury is probably the worst thing a tennis player or a sportsman can have, but I know he’s a fighter and I hope he can recover as soon as possible.”
Other Australian Performances
On Australia’s first winless day of the tournament, Sydneysider James Duckworth, the country’s new No.2 in the live rankings, put up an excellent fight against Spanish teenage star Rafael Jodar. Despite his efforts, he eventually succumbed 6-1, 6-7 (5-7), 6-4, 7-5 to the 27th seed.
Duckworth showed a much better performance against the new ‘Rafa’ than No.1 Alex de Minaur did when he was defeated by the 19-year-old in Madrid. Jodar, who took a heavy tumble into the dirt during the second-set tiebreak and later needed a medical timeout for a thigh problem possibly incurred in the fall, still displayed real strength as he won in three hours and 22 minutes.
With four Australians remaining in the draw, de Minaur, the only one so far through to the last-32 after a second-round walkover, received another boost when Jakub Mensik endured a difficult ordeal. Mensik collapsed on court in the brutal heat while winning a four-hour, 41-minute epic against Mariano Navone. He was helped into a wheelchair to the locker rooms but later reported he was confident he would be ready to face ‘Demon’ on Friday.
