Copyright © 2015. No duplication is permitted without permission from Bob Larson Tennis.

Serbian doubles ace Nenad Zimonjic is out of the Australian Open after breaking his right thumb in a freak alpine ski accident during the tennis off-season, The Davis Cup winner hurt himself on the slopes in Austria this month. “It was a shock,” said the multiple grand slam event doubles champion. “A couple changed direction and by the time we saw each other it was too late. It was like coming out of a tunnel and hitting someone you had not seen.”

The former doubles No. 1 was to have started 2016 in Doha with Novak Djokovic, a potential scenario for the Rio Olympics. He was to have played with countrywoman Jelena Jankovic at the Australian Open, another possible Olympic pairing for August.

It will mark the first time in 14 years that Zimonjic is missing a major; since Roland Garros, 2002, the 39-year-old has competed at the slams was to have played his 55th straight in Melbourne in from January 18.

Zimonjic has played Australian Open doubles for the last 17 editions, reaching the 2010 final with Canadian Daniel Nestor against the American Bryan brothers. The last of his three grand slam doubles titles came five years ago in Paris.

Copyright © 2015. No duplication is permitted without permission from Bob Larson Tennis.