Adelaide International
Kokkinakis injury pullout deflates hometown Adelaide event
Local Thanasi Kokkinakis disappointed fans at the Adelaide International on Thursday as a previous injury flared, forcing the Aussie to default a hometown quarter-final.
The No. 77 whose entire career has been blighted by physical problems, did not specify exactly what the trouble was as he addressed a showcourt crowd at Memorial Drive to deliver the bad news.
Kokkinakis had been scheduled to face American Sebastian Korda, who now advances to the final four.
“Massive apologies, there is nowhere else I’d rather be playing,” the 38-year-old said.
“I (played through) a lot of pain last night (defeat of Tomas Martin Etcheverry) and the injury just crept up on me.
“It was worse this morning and I’m very flat about that. I’m already looking forward to next year here.”
The Australian was drawn on Thursday to begin in the Open first round against Roman Safiullin.
“I’ll try and be ready for next week,” Kokkinakis said. “It’s pretty disheaartening and flattening not to be able to come out (and play) tonight.”