MELBOURNE, Australia — There will be no magical Australian Open run for Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis in 2026, with the nation’s most beloved doubles pairing failing agonisingly short in a rollercoaster, and somewhat controversial, first round match.
Despite the never-wavering desperate pleas from the capacity Kia Arena crowd, the special Ks struggled to rediscover the spark, and form, that powered their unforgettable 2022 triumph as fellow Australian wildcards Jason Kubler and Marc Polmans came up clutch in a third-set tiebreak to send them packing from the tournament and many questioning the team’s future.
The match wasn’t without controversy. Late in the deciding set, with Kokkinakis serving, an automated let call was triggered on a serve that both players believed had cleared the net comfortably, leaving them visibly confused and annoyed. Kyrgios immediately gestured from the net that there was no way the ball had clipped the tape, only to be told by the chair umpire that the decision could not be reviewed.
Moments later, in the deciding tiebreak, Kokkinakis finished a point with a smash, only for Jason Kubler to request a video review on the grounds that Kokkinakis had reached over the net before making contact with the ball. This time a replay was used, which did in fact show Kokkinakis’ racquet had crossed onto the opponents’ side of the net before contact, meaning the point was overturned.
Kyrgios was scathing in his assessment of those moments in the duo’s post-match press conference, questioning the consistency of the review process.
“You know what the issue is. How can you review a ball that’s been hit over the net, but you can’t review a serve over the net? Doesn’t make any f—–g sense. Like, that’s why I’m p—-d off. Like, we’re playing for millions of dollars,” he said.
“We’ve been both injured, both trying to get to this stage. Some of these rules are just so, so, so dumb. They don’t make sense. Yeah, so how can you not review a let? How can you not review that? How can you not just watch a ball just go over the net? How dumb does that sound? Next question.”
On a day that featured 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic, back-to-back Australian Open titlist Jannik Sinner, and the ever-intriguing Naomi Osaka, the former world No. 1 who earlier in the week had broken the internet with her lavish walk out fit, it was the Special Ks’ doubles match at the modest 5,000-seat Kia Arena which was the hottest ticket in town.
Neither Kyrgios nor Kokkinakis currently hold a rank inside the ATP’s top 500, but that didn’t stop the crowds from queuing throughout the afternoon. After all, when these two share one side of a tennis court, they routinely provide box office entertainment.
And entertain they did. The match, which lasted almost three hours, had all of the familiar and expected Special Ks elements. Monstrous serving, ambitious and audacious shot-making, rackets thrown in disgust, and a raucous crowd the players continued to feed off as they gallantly fought back from a set down to force a third-set tiebreak.
But ultimately there was a reason neither player deemed themselves fit enough to compete in singles at this year’s Australian Open, injuries plaguing both of their careers. Kyrgios has played just seven singles tour matches over the past three years, following multiple wrist and knee surgeries. Meanwhile, Kokkinakis missed almost 12 months of action following pectoral surgery in February last year.
Yet they still committed to playing together in doubles, understanding what their presence means for each other, to the event, and to the fans who show up to specifically watch them. It’s a calculated decision by the pair, knowing it would be less physically demanding than a gruelling five-set singles encounter, but still something that’s meaningful.
A lack of conditioning was evident as both Kyrgios and Kokkinakis committed countless unforced errors and struggled for consistency with their serves, baseline shots, and touch at the net. They also each had their own injury concerns, Kokkinakis with his right shoulder that required several bouts of treatment, and Kyrgios with his left knee that’s plagued the back half of his career.
In many ways it was sort of like witnessing an AC/DC concert in 2026. Yeah, you’ll get the same familiar classics. And sure, the crowd is guaranteed to be spellbound throughout. But you walk away knowing it’s just not the same as what is once was.
“That’s why we play. It’s exciting,” Kokkinakis said of playing in front of the energetic crowds. “Unfortunately they saw probably a couple shadows of our former selves. That’s what’s tough. When you know you’re not quite there.
“Again, the crowd’s incredible. It’s why we play here. They’re phenomenal. We almost got them up and about. They were getting up and about, but we couldn’t get over the line. We were trying to do as much as we could. I gave it whatever I had. I know Nick did as well.
“It’s annoying because they come out and support. They’re phenomenal. They’re the best fans in the world. We love playing in front of them. But yeah, unfortunately we’re just hobbled so it kind of sucks.”
Hours before the Special Ks were due to walk out, the queues had already built. Stan Wawrinka was on court but it still felt like fans were waiting for what came next. And even if the 5000-strong crowd inside the stadium throughout the day were there for the retiring veteran’s five-set battle, the majority of the thousands waiting outside were doing so for the doubles pairing.
That alone says everything about the unique pull that both Kyrgios and Kokkinakis hold over the Australian tennis fans.
That’s the thing with the Special Ks. They can lose in the first round and still feel like the main act. It speaks to something bigger than wins and losses.
Their 2022 title run was one of the most significant Australian moments seen at the tournament in years, it was both chaotic and joyful, and perhaps also created a new generation of fans who suddenly care about the sport, fans who know they’re not only lining up for some tennis, but for genuine theatre.
Doubles isn’t supposed to feel like this.Early-round matches aren’t supposed to generate this kind of anticipation.
And yet, whenever Kyrgios and Kokkinakis share the court, the tournament, and the vibe inside Melbourne Park, suddenly shifts. They bring relevance, noise, and people through the gates.
They may have lost, but it feels somewhat secondary to the broader fact that their presence in Melbourne keeps reinforcing, which is that they are the biggest drawcard Australian tennis has.
