Nick Kyrgios’ return to the Australian Open is over after he and partner Thanasi Kokkinakis stopped playing while trailing in the second set of their first-round doubles match.

Thanasi Kokkinakis says he feels like he’s “letting people down”, with the doubles reunion of his 2022 Australian Open winning partner Nick Kyrgios “unlikely” after he suffered a recurrence of a pectoral injury in his second round loss at Melbourne Park.

Thanasi Kokkinakis managed to take the court and play doubles with Nick Kyrgios at the Australian Open on Thursday night, but his injury saw the pair pull the plug while trailing 5-7 2-3 to fellow Aussies James Duckworth and Aleksandar Vukic.

Thanasi Kokkinakis says a doctor advised him not to play before he and Nick Kyrgios retired injured in the men doubles first round at the Australian Open.

Doubles tennis rarely receives much attention in the first week of a grand slam, but that's not the case at this year's Australian Open. Thanasi Kokkinakis and Nick Kyrgios are set to team up at the AO for the first time since taking out the men's doubles in 2022.

Nick Kyrgios' Australian Open farewell could be at risk after his doubles partner, Thanasi Kokkinakis, raised concerns about his fitness to compete in their opening match in Melbourne.