Thanasi Kokkinakis Identifies His Two Toughest Opponents

2022 01 Athanasios Thanasi Kokkinakis Australian Open 21

As Thanasi Kokkinakis gears up for the Australian Open, he is fueled by a strong determination to bounce back after a challenging 2024 season. Despite assisting Australia in reaching the semi-finals of the Davis Cup, where they fell to a dominant Italian side, Kokkinakis had a less-than-ideal year at the Grand Slam tournaments, failing to advance to the second week in any of them.

Despite these setbacks, the 28-year-old remains a beloved figure on the tour, with many believing he has the potential for a breakthrough in the near future. Reflecting on his career so far, Kokkinakis recently shared his thoughts on his toughest opponents without naming the usual suspects, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.

In an interview on Backseat Banter, Kokkinakis surprisingly identified Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz as his toughest adversaries. Additionally, he recalled his most painful defeat, saying, “The toughest loss for me was against Murray at the Australian Open. Playing for six hours only to lose felt like a waste of time for everyone except him!”

When speaking about his strongest opponents, he remarked, “It’s a tie between Novak at Wimbledon and Carlos. Alcaraz, when at his best, left me truly impressed. He’s my favorite player to watch and is currently dominating.”

When asked which player he would love to team up with on the court, Kokkinakis did give a nod to Federer, saying, “I would love to play with Fed. He’s the man, and he’d surely draw a great crowd.”

Kokkinakis Aims to Shed His “Mr. Nice Guy” Image

At 28, there’s still time for Kokkinakis to change his fortunes in Grand Slam events, where his record has been lackluster. With his undeniable talent, reaching beyond the fourth round should be a realistic goal.

Known for his cheerful demeanor, Kokkinakis might need to adopt a more aggressive approach to ascend the ATP ranks. Fellow Australian Nick Kyrgios has often praised Kokkinakis, and it’s high time he starts realizing the potential he displayed earlier in his career.