Kokkinakis: "The injury consumes me, doctors tell me they have never seen anything like it"

Thanasi Kokkinakis starred in one of the most exciting stories at the start of Roland Garros 2026. After nearly a year and a half away from the circuit due to a severe arm and shoulder injury, Kokkinakis returned to the Parisian Grand Slam with an epic five-set victory against Atmane amidst one of the tournament's most hostile atmospheres.

After the match, the Australian appeared very emotional at the press conference, delivering one of the most sincere statements of the tournament so far. Thanasi Kokkinakis spoke openly about the fear he still feels about his arm, admitting that he even hesitated until the last moment about participating in Roland Garros 2026 and acknowledging the possibility of retiring soon if continuity is not found. He also explained the immense mental strain of living daily with such a rare injury within professional tennis.

This is how Kokkinakis explains his battle against his serious injury

The emotion of experiencing such an atmosphere again at Roland Garros

"The atmosphere was incredible. I knew exactly what to expect playing against a Frenchman like Terence, who thrives on the energy of the crowd."

"I've had some great battles here in Paris, and even though the crowd was against me, I think I managed to win over some of the French fans in the end. It was an incredible feeling to compete again with that energy because it's something I've missed for a long time."

Why he enjoys playing with the crowd against him

"Of course, you feel the atmosphere. There was literally a guy thirty centimeters from me shouting in my ear. But honestly, I find it amusing. I just smile at them. We've experienced similar situations in Australia or in the Davis Cup, so I was prepared for something like this. I much prefer playing with noise and ambiance than in absolute silence. Silence is depressing."

The mental battle after a year and a half away

"Returning in Adelaide and defeating a player like Korda after such a long time without competing was already huge for me. There were probably six or seven months where I didn't even touch a tennis racket. Basically, I have a completely new arm and shoulder. Every morning I wake up trying to figure out which sensations are normal and which should worry me."

Why he wasn't so surprised by his tennis level

"Without sounding arrogant, I wasn't really surprised by my level. I lost a lot of time throughout my career, yet I always managed to come back and secure good victories."

"But winning a match like this in a Grand Slam, after so little tennis and under these conditions, is probably the biggest mental effort of my entire career."

How he even considered not playing at Roland Garros

"Just a few days ago, I didn't even know if I was going to play. There were people who wanted to come watch me, and I told them to stay home because I honestly was afraid of playing a few games and something breaking again. I was very nervous and scared before the match. Once the match started, I just tried to survive with the energy of the moment."

The confession about a possible retirement

"I told my team that I would continue until the next Australian Open. If things didn't go well and my arm still didn't respond, it probably would have been the end for me. Days like today give me a lot of hope that maybe that won't happen, and I can still push a little further."

The immense mental toll of living with the injury

"The situation is not normal, and the hardest part is that practically no one knew exactly what I should feel after this operation. I consulted many doctors, even Rafa Nadal's doctor, and many told me they had never seen anything like it. No tennis player had really been through something like this."

How the injury completely consumes his life

"I am learning new things every day about my arm. I constantly try to determine which discomforts are a normal part of the process and which could be warning signs. It completely consumes my life. It's the first thing I think about every morning when I wake up. Many times during the matches, I don't even think much about the opponent. I just hope that my arm holds up."

His obsession with arriving healthy for the match

"In the last three days, I barely trained because my only priority was to arrive at the match as healthy as possible. It's a very strange feeling to step onto a court thinking more about your arm than the opponent. My only thought was to arrive more or less at one hundred percent and then try to compete."

What continuing to fight means to him

"I always wanted to at least have one full season before retiring to see how far my body could really go. That's why I keep trying to come back time and time again. Moments like today are exactly why I keep fighting after so many injuries. When I retire, I know perfectly well that nothing can ever compare to feelings like these on a court."

After one of the most emotional victories at Roland Garros 2026, the Australian Thanasi Kokkinakis left much more than a mere sporting comeback in Paris. He displayed the immense physical and mental suffering he has carried for years but also made it clear that he still maintains the excitement of competing at the highest level despite living daily with the constant fear of a new setback.