"Career done": Cursed Aussie star's sad revelation

Thanasi Kokkinakis has revealed he pulled out of the Australian Open over fears one more major injury could be “my career done” as he vows to fight his way back to fitness.

Kokkinakis was set to make his return to Grand Slam and singles tennis after 12 months away after he had radical pectoral surgery that saw having his Achilles tendon knotted between his pec and shoulder.

However, the 29-year-old was forced out of the Adelaide International due to a shoulder complaint, and the worrying medical advice he received from his team after the fact.

“I'm better today than I was the day of my Adelaide match,” Kokkinakis told SEN 1170 Afternoons.

“I’ve been in and out of MRI rooms trying to figure out what's going on and where the cause could be.

“(It’s) been the hardest I've worked to try and come back from any injury in my life and then to come and that sort of be the reason I have to pull out and fail me is disappointing, especially because everything else felt so good.

“My tennis felt as good as it's been… but I guess the silver lining is to be able to beat such a quality player on a pretty bunged shoulder is positive as far as my tennis level goes, and it gives me hope that hopefully when I do get this right, eventually, I can do some good things in this sport.

“If it wasn't for these two events, Adelaide and (Aus Open), I wouldn't have considered playing just yet.

“I did the surgery so I can be able to play these matches back to back and, and make inroads in tournaments, and I knew I'm probably rushing it a little bit to try and get back.

“I got advised by my team (that) they really don't think it's a smart decision and I could do more damage, and the way I thought is if I have another big surgery, that's probably my career done.

“I need to be patient, I need to take the time now and, and get it right, and hopefully it gives me a lot of good years in my back end because… I still feel young everywhere else but my shoulder, so that's the bit I’ve got to get right.

“I think I've missed more of my career than I've played due to injuries. It's a big what if, and it always plays on my mind every day, like, it sounds stupid, but just what it would feel like to play a week… with a normal shoulder that I can play with and compete with.

“If people beat me because they're better at tennis than me, I can live with that… but not because I get injured and I can't actually play to my capabilities.

“It's something I've done my whole life, so I'm going to do everything I can all the time to try and give myself a chance.

“I wanted to think about going out there and not being able to serve full intensity… but I also know how that story ends. It's going to get tight in a match, and I'm not going to serve at 70% anymore.

“I'm going to go for a big one. I’m going to get hurt. Something bad's going to happen because my injury's not ready yet, and then that could be detrimental to my full career.

“Ultimately it is my call. If I want to go out there, I can go out there and play, but it is what it is. I thought it was a good call from them, and I had to be patient.”

Kokkinakis will still play in the Australian Open doubles tournament with Nick Kyrgios who is also skipping the singles because of injury.

But Kokkinakis is confident we haven’t seen the end of the controversial star in singles tennis yet.

“He's a little bit underdone right now,” Kokkinakis said of Kyrgios.

“I think he's still got some good tennis left in him but these injuries, they're not easy. They can make you feel like a bit of a shell of yourself.

“It takes almost double the time you're out to get back to where you were and as you're getting older with age, it doesn't come easier, so you've gotta work even harder.

“I think we do (see Kyrgios back in Grand Slams).

“I've seen him on the practice court, and I think there might be a slight mental block as well before we get on to playing a Grand Slam and he knows physically he's not quite there.

“I think if he's willing to build up with some smaller events, he'll be able to play some singles again for sure at the Grand Slam level.”