INTERVIEW | Thanasi Kokkinakis: "I play with the pec halfway, I had a golf ball near the shoulder"

Carlos Navarro | 12 Jul 2026 | 16.01

The incredible story of Kokkinakis, told by Magic. Source: PdB

Streaming ATP Gstaad MD live tennis

🎾 Chandrasekar/Yuzuki vs Schnaitter/Wallner

Sign up with Bet365 here
Make your first deposit of at least €5
Go to the “Live” section and watch every match

Watch the match on Bet365

Thanasi Kokkinakis (Adelaide, April 10, 1996) has faced the bitterest side of tennis. He confronted it, looking it in the eyes with the courage of someone who has nothing left to lose. Just over a decade ago, he shared the Australian Open junior final with his good friend Nick Kyrgios: two young lads ready to take on the world, with spontaneity as their flag and a fresh, offensive, daring style of tennis.

Thanasi's character was shaped over time... and by injuries. One after another. Shoulder, knee, elbow... pectoral muscle. These discomforts accumulated in a fragile skeleton, denying the Australian the opportunity to establish himself at the top for an extended period, with visits to the Challenger purgatory every two or three seasons to regain ranking until the unexpected arrival of a new misfortune.

Kokkinakis opens up and shows the incredible scar from his latest injury

Entering his thirties, after years of ups and downs (including incredible moments that give meaning to his entire career, such as the victory over Federer in Miami, the ATP title in his hometown, Adelaide, and winning the Australian Open doubles title with Nick Kyrgios), 2019 was a turning point in Thanasi's career. We sat down with him in Dublin during a Challenger tournament he had to start from the qualifying rounds, aiming to merely narrate his incredible story of resilience... and he opened up to introspectively reflect on the moments that defined his sports career.

"My worst moment with injuries was when I played the 2019 Australian Open, first round against Taro Daniel. I had had injuries before, but I could manage them. Here I felt something in my chest in the last round of qualifying, went for a scan, and was told it might be a first-degree strain but should be okay to compete. I felt I couldn't serve, literally couldn't serve.

Without insulting Sara Errani, but that day she would have served with more power than myself. I almost had to underarm serve. I felt a nervous pressure throughout my arm. I won the first set, don't know how, went to the locker room, and saw something protruding on the right side of my chest. The muscle had completely retracted and ruptured. To this day, I am playing with half of my pectoral muscle. My last surgery has never been done in tennis history, but I had to do something.

Last year, I won my first three matches in Adelaide and felt something in my chest again. I had a full off-season, recovery sessions, all the rehab and strength, listened to everyone... but there was a structural problem. I knew it. I played Australia knowing I would have surgery after the tournament. I managed to serve to win my second-round match against Draper, but the agony I felt in my chest in that match... it was insane. It looked like I had a golf ball in my chest, if you look closely, every time I run, my chest swells like that. I couldn't hit the ball hard, and if I did... something bad was going to happen".

His testimony is much more comprehensive and even includes a visit to Dr. Cotorro, Rafa Nadal's doctor, to seek a solution. Thanasi wanted to put an end to years of constant discomfort, but this season he still battles not only with his injuries but with the mental exhaustion of back and forth without a seeming true solution. The Australian speaks not only of all this, labeling the current balls on the circuit as "dreadful," pointing out what his victory over Roger Federer in Miami means to him, being candid about his good friend Nick Kyrgios, and responding to a couple of negative comments about him from various Australian legends. With the honesty of a man who doesn't hide his scars... literally. The full interview, on our YouTube channel and at the beginning of this article: enjoy it.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, ENTREVISTA | Thanasi Kokkinakis: "Juego con el pectoral a la mitad, tenía una bola de golf cerca del hombro"

Thanasi Kokkinakis