The Special K’s have bowed out in the first round of the Australian Open doubles for the second successive year.
Following an abbreviated preparation that saw the pair play just two doubles matches at the Brisbane International—and neither featuring in the 2026 singles draw in Melbourne—Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis were defeated 4-6 6-4 6-7 by fellow Australians Jason Kubler and Marc Polmans.
Originally scheduled for Thursday’s day session, the first round doubles match on KIA Arena was pushed well into the evening by 40-year-old Stan Wawrinka’s epic five-set singles clash win over French 21-year-old Arthur Gea.
When the all-Aussie match finally got underway after 9:00pm local time the 2022 Australian Open doubles champions showed glimpses of the entertaining and carefree tennis they’re famous for with some outrageous reflex shots and deft drop volleys, but also struggled with consistency against their crafty and disciplined opponents.
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The first critical moment came in the ninth game of the opening set at 4-4 with neither pair having yet faced a break point.
In control at 40-0, Kyrgios tried an underarm serve that backfired badly, losing the point and going on to lose his serve. Kubler and Polmans won the next game to take the set.
The second set had a bit of everything as Kyrgios in particular looked to fuel—and feed off—the KIA Stadium energy with racket throws, code violations, tweeners and constant banter with the increasingly excitable crowd.
Men’s Doubles - First Round | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 |
Nick Kyrgios (AUS) & Thanasi Kokkinakis (AUS) | 4 | 6 | 6(4) |
Jason Kubler (AUS) & Marc Polmans (AUS) | 6 | 4 | 7(10) |
Just like the first set, the second reached 4-4 with no service breaks. But this time Kyrgios held his serve in the ninth game (no more underarm trick shots) and the pair broke in the next game to level the match at one set apiece.
Kokkinakis and Kyrgios broke Polmans early in the third and deciding set, before there was yet another twist with Kokkinakis requiring assistance from the trainer for his injured right shoulder after serving to go up 4-1.
It proved a turning point with Kubler and Polmans breaking the Kyrgios serve for the second time on resumption, and one game later things were again locked at 4-4.
Kokkinakis continued to dig deep despite his troublesome shoulder, while Kyrgios was also in discomfort having played the match with heavy strapping on his left knee.
Ultimately the third set went to a 10-point tiebreaker, with Kubler and Polmans prevailing just before midnight.
Kubler and Polmans will now take on Jakob Paul (SUI) and Marcus Willis (GBR) in the second round.