Australian young gun Thanasi Kokkinakis will not get to play in front of his home crowd this year. The nineteen-year-old announced on his Instagram this morning that he will require surgery to fix a problem with his right shoulder, his playing shoulder, and will be out “a few months,” which will involve missing all the events in his home nation, including the Australian Open.

A Devastating Injury

Kokkinakis did not hold back his disappointment in his announcement saying, “I’m shattered to let you all know I’m still having issues with my shoulder and won’t be able to play any of the events in Australia this summer.”

Photo: Julian Finney/Getty Images

The injury started to bother Kokkinakis at the end of last season, but he had believed that rest during the off-season would allow him to be prepared for the start to the season. However, he has decided to undergo what he describes as “minor” surgery that should only keep him out a few months, but will force him to miss his favourite part of the season.

“I was really pumped for the Aussie summer, and looking forward to playing in Adelaide, Brisbane and especially the Aussie Open, so I’m pretty devastated I’ll miss my favourite events of the year.”

Slowing the Breakout

Kokkinakis has been making steady progress up the ATP rankings, climbing as high as 68 in the world last June. He is currently ranked eightieth. Kokkinakis was 2-2 during the Australian hard courts last year, including an epic comeback win in the opening round of the Australian Open over then-world number eleven Ernests Gulbis.

Kokkinakis at the 2015 French Open. Photo: Miguel Medina/AFP

Kokkinakis yet to reach a final or make a deep run in a major, but his results have been gradually improving. Last year, Kokkinakis reached the third round of a major for the first time at the French Open, appeared in four Masters 1000 events, and reached the fourth round of Indian Wells.

This shoulder injury could not come at a worse time for Kokkinakis, as it will slow down his progress on the tour, especially if it does keep him out for several months, which is what he has implied. However, at 19, it is important that Kokkinakis allows his shoulder to heal properly so that it does not become a consistent issue throughout his career.