Thanasi Kokkinakis, the 28-year-old Australian tennis player, has decided to undergo surgery to address a persistent pectoral injury that has plagued his career. Currently ranked world number 84, Kokkinakis has been a Davis Cup player and has showcased his potential by defeating notable opponents like Roger Federer. Despite his talent, his journey has been marred by a series of injuries, the latest of which he describes as "mental and physical torture." This decision comes after years of trying to manage the injury manually without surgical intervention.
Kokkinakis took to social media to share a photograph of himself in the hospital following the procedure. In his post, he openly admitted that this marks his "toughest challenge" yet. He has not played tennis since suffering a difficult defeat to Jack Draper at the Australian Open in January. The injury further forced him to withdraw from a doubles match with fellow Australian Nick Kyrgios.
"Been struggling for a little while with this…" – Thanasi Kokkinakis
Kokkinakis's history with injuries has repeatedly stalled his progress, and this latest setback is no exception. He revealed that he has been playing with a significant amount of scar tissue in the affected area. The extent of the injury often surprises medical professionals who assess his condition.
"There's a tear, for sure. I'm playing with a crazy amount of scar tissue in there. It's something that every time I show a physio or a doctor or something, they're taken back by it." – Thanasi Kokkinakis
Despite the challenges, Kokkinakis remains hopeful about returning to the court later this year, potentially for Davis Cup duty. However, he is mindful of the uncertainties that accompany surgical procedures given his past experiences.
"I got told my shoulder surgery was going to be ready, I'd be healed up in three months. Ended up taking me a year-and-a-half to get back." – Thanasi Kokkinakis
"There's no guarantees with surgery. One thing is for sure: I can't keep doing what I'm doing. It's mental torture and physical torture." – Thanasi Kokkinakis
Kokkinakis expressed frustration that the same persistent injury continues to hinder his performance despite his dedicated efforts to overcome it.
"My whole body is fine. It's just the same injury that I worked so hard on to try to get right. I still can't do it. That's the thing holding me back." – Thanasi Kokkinakis
