Thanasi Kokkinakis faces a race against time to be fit in 12 days ahead of the 2019 Launceston International.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The 22-year-old is one of several drawcards that have entered prior to this week’s tournament’s deadline.
Kokkinakis was forced to retire in the first round of the Australian Open on Tuesday, leading Taro Daniel 7-5, 2-4.
“I actually felt like I was playing pretty good,” he said immediately afterwards.
“It’s just that my pec was a bit munted, that’s all.”
The shoulder injury continues to plague Kokkinakis.
Tennis Australia refused to hand Kokkinakis a wildcard into the Australian Open. So moves to play in Launceston becomes more important for the gifted South Australian.
Tournament director Rick Fontyn said that Kokkinakis was assured a spot in the main draw should he pass a medical assessment.
“It really just comes down whether he has recovered if he plays,” Fontyn said.
“I saw him play in Brisbane and, while he has had a lot of injury problems the last two or three years, he showed some pretty good form.”
Sydneysider James Duckworth will come to Launceston soon after a 6-4, 6-3, 7-5 loss to 2009 Australian Open champion Rafael Nadal.
German Laura Siegemund has entered Launceston after beating two-time Australian Open champion and former world No.1 Victoria Azarenka in the first round on Tuesday.
The tournament will also break new ground when for the first time the men’s and women’s champions will return to defend their titles.
South African-born Victorian Marc Polmans and Brit Gabriella Taylor will join Australian journeyman Alex Bolt, Frenchman Stephane Robert and up-and-coming 18-year-old Destanee Aiava.
The shift forward in dates a week ensures early-round losers can fly to the Burnie International in the second week of the Australian Open and move onto Launceston.
“At this early stage certainly this would be up with our best draw ever,” Fontyn said.
“That’s what this tournament is all about: you either have got the future tennis stars or those who have been around a while whose ranking might have dropped because they’ve been injured.”