Kyrgios and Kokkinakis mull future after injury-plagued Australian Open

Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis, in their doubles reunion at Melbourne Park, had hoped to deliver an exciting match for the crowd, but were forced to retire due to injury after just a set and a half. The pair, nicknamed the "Special Ks," were both hampered by injuries sustained in their respective singles matches prior to the event.

Although Kyrgios received treatment for an abdominal strain during the match, it was ultimately Kokkinakis who was unable to continue due to a pectoral issue that severely limited his serve. "The doctor advised me not to play anymore... I couldn't serve, and I couldn't hit high forehands. I was in a lot of pain, but I still wanted to come out and play," Kokkinakis told reporters after the match. He added that he knew many people were looking forward to seeing them play together again, and he wanted to see if he could still be competitive even without a serve, and was eager to team up with Kyrgios again.

Following his marathon singles loss to Jack Draper, Kokkinakis had said that a reunion with Kyrgios seemed "unlikely" after the "physical toll" of his injury. "I feel like I'm letting him down, letting everyone down. I don't know, I might not even be able to lift my arm tomorrow, so we'll see. Unless we're both serving underarm, it's not looking likely," he said before their doomed doubles match.

However, after a training session on the morning of their scheduled doubles match, 28-year-old Kokkinakis told Nine Network before the match that he and Kyrgios both felt "absolutely terrible" but would still battle through. "I'll go out there and see what we can do. There's going to be a lot of people watching – we won't be at our best, but we'll have some fun," Kokkinakis said. "I'm going to have some time off after the Australian Open, but I told my team I'm going to give it my best shot and see what I can do."

Now, with his energy completely depleted, it raises the question: what's next for the dynamic duo known for playing exciting matches in front of boisterous crowds? Kokkinakis stated he would consult with specialists as much as possible, and surgery was a very real possibility during his time away from the court. Meanwhile, Kyrgios, after his singles exit, said it could be his last singles run at the Australian Open, but he was encouraged to partner with Kokkinakis again in doubles.

Kyrgios said, "At full potential and full health, (we) can achieve some things in doubles – always have. Obviously, I felt like the crowd tonight was ready to cheer from the get-go. For me, obviously I've been out for a year and a half to two years this year, so I don't know what this year's going to bring. Obviously, I'm going to trust the process. I think my ball striking's great. I've got a long way to go to get back to where I was in 2022."

Although the pair admitted they haven't formally discussed their future doubles careers, Kyrgios said they grew up together and have an undeniable genuine connection and chemistry on the court. "We have a great feel for the doubles court. I think we play very similar. We like to do the same things. It feels like we've never stopped playing doubles," Kyrgios said. "I'm sure we'll team up again at some stage. But I can't guarantee that I'll be back here."

As a result, the Australian pair of Aleksandar Vukic and James Duckworth advanced to the second round after winning the first set 7-5 and leading 3-2 in the second. Vukic, who was also fully within his rights to withdraw after reaching the third round of a major for the first time, said there was "no chance." "Me? No, no. I was just talking to my partner Duckworth," Vukic said. "We were like: 'We good? We good. Let's go.'" Vukic will next face Draper on Margaret Court Arena on Friday night. He and Alex de Minaur remain the only Australians left in the singles main draw.