The pain of defeat in the Australian Open boys final has been compounded for Adelaide teen Thanasi Kokkinakis with news he could be sidelined for more than half the year with stress fractures in his back.
The 16-year-old lost the final to his doubles partner and fellow Australian Nick Kyrgios 7-6 (7-4) 6-3.
After the match Kokkinakis revealed he almost didn’t make it on to the court after an MRI scan last night revealed the fractures.
He had a similar injury in 2011 and wasn’t able to pick up a racquet for around three months and play competitively for seven.
“I went and got some scans just to make sure it wasn’t something serious and didn’t get great news,” Kokkinakis said.
“I was pretty shattered to be honest.
“I thought I was going to pull out which isn’t the right mindset going into a final but the doctor said it couldn’t really get much worse.
“I did a bit better than I thought I would. I didn’t think I would make it through a set.”
Kokkinakis appeared troubled by the injury at 3-2 in the first set but then seemed to shrug it off and went on to give himself three set points, which he was unable to convert.
The big-serving Kyrgios, from Canberra, lifted in the tie-break and then got an early break in the second set before steaming on to take the title.
Kokkinakis didn’t want to use the injury as an excuse.
“It hurt when I had to push off and change direction and when I had to bend my back and push off, that’s when I really struggled but he put me in those positions.
“He was too good.
“To beat a player like Nick, it’s hard enough when you’re 100 per cent healthy.”
Kokkinakis had had a dream month, called into the Hopman Cup team as an injury replacement and then just missing qualifying for the men’s draw at Melbourne Park with a 17-15 defeat in the third set to American Steve Johnson.
He had never previously won a match at a junior grand slam before his impressive performance here.
“That’s why it was a bit of shame hearing the news; it’s been the best month I’ve had in my career.
“I’m only young so hopefully I will be able to recover and come back and do well later in the year.”
