	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

APIA INTERNATIONAL SYDNEY

January 10, 2017

Thanasi Kokkinakis

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Big shame. Can you tell what's happened today?
THANASI KOKKINAKIS: To be honest, I kind of knew it could have been a possibility for a couple days. The body just didn't pull up great from the doubles. Every doubles match I played, I had some niggling injury.

Yeah, obviously I was looking forward to getting my singles campaign started. I don't think it's anything serious, which is good. Just another little setback, which is very annoying, but, you know, again, after missing so much time, I've got to really do what's smart now. And try to play through pain and play through a niggle here or there and to potentially make something worse is not what I need.

Q. Next week? Going to be all right?
THANASI KOKKINAKIS: I have no idea, to be honest. I'm getting a scan tomorrow and seeing what it says.

I can't make any guarantees on anything. Obviously Jordan came up, What does that mean for doubles? So I'm still keen to play, obviously, but I'm going to take it day by day and see what the outcome is tomorrow and then go from there.

Q. What is it exactly?
THANASI KOKKINAKIS: I don't know. That's why I'm getting a scan.

Q. Whereabouts?
THANASI KOKKINAKIS: Whereabouts? Down here, down in the ab/rib/back region, I don't know, somewhere in there. I have had a few little things but nothing long term, I hope. Touch wood for tomorrow, yeah.

Q. How's the shoulder?
THANASI KOKKINAKIS: Shoulder's been really good. That's been a positive thing for me. Still takes a little bit to warm up when I do things, but getting through the doubles matches is good.

There were two things I was worried about. One was how it pulls up after rest, and sort of like when it's not constantly serving, so the doubles is a good test for that. Sometimes early in games when I played, I was a bit nervous on my first couple serves. Once I got through those, I was fine, so that was a good step.

Then the next step, which I haven't been able to test because of my body, is just how it goes over five sets. Yeah, it's as good as I could have hoped, considering I was very close to another surgery.

Q. You must be shattered. Is it mentally hard to stay upbeat, another setback?
THANASI KOKKINAKIS: Yeah, big time, for sure. The last couple of injuries I had last year, I was obviously initially disappointed, but then I just kind of laughed it off. I mean, what can you do too much? You can't really dwell on it.

Again, I know where my level is at, and I'm very confident in my game. I just can't keep missing weeks and missing times with little niggles. I just got to do what's best for my body.

Q. (Indiscernible.)
THANASI KOKKINAKIS: I was enjoying it, but everything I had, I was kind of expecting through just not playing and playing a competitive match, but to be honest, this thing I felt last game of the doubles match.

I thought it was just a cramp, which is weird to get it in that area, but I was like, who knows? I have done it before, so I might have another one.

But, yeah, I don't think that is it. Neither do a few other people. So I will take a look tomorrow and see what it says.

Q. When you woke up this morning, were you expecting to play?
THANASI KOKKINAKIS: Not really. I wasn't sure. I was doubtful, a little bit doubtful yesterday, as well. I was just trying to do everything possible and try and get my body the best chance to play tonight.

Yeah, I was doubtful. I was anti-inflammatories and stuff like that. I'm just taking it day by day, and it just shows my body is not where it needs to be.

Q. You had a pretty solid practice session today. I was watching you. You were hitting the ball well. Was that like...
THANASI KOKKINAKIS: Hitting up and down is not too bad. There's a few things here and there. Serving is obviously the toughest part, when I arch my back, and, yeah, mainly the high stuff, whenever I try and hit a forehand, high forehand.

Again, I'm pretty confident and so is everyone else. All the experts I have spoken to, it's nothing too serious. I just need the scan tomorrow to say that, as well, and then I'll be on my way and start with a good rehab plan.

Q. Any plans, like a tournament on the schedule, where you think you might be back in the singles?
THANASI KOKKINAKIS: I wish did. I'm over that right now. I have no idea. Could be soon; could be later.

I have set too many goals for myself as far as tournaments go and schedules go. I guess we'll see how this thing goes. I'm going to see how it is for next week or see all the possibilities for that are.

And then the next biggest one for me I guess after that would be Indian Wells. That's the next big one, I guess, barring the Australian Open. I'm just going to see.

Q. Same thing last year, wasn't it?
THANASI KOKKINAKIS: It was, it was, but I didn't have surgery this year. Again, I just gotta get my body in the right place.

I'm hoping for Indian Wells. I'm going to hope next week. I don't know. I'm going to see what it says tomorrow. I'm just going to take it day by day.

Q. How did this come up?
THANASI KOKKINAKIS: I felt it on one serve, I don't know, I think it was 15-love. No, Love-15, because I double-faulted. Love-15 in the final, doubles final.

Yeah, I went to serve to the ad court and I made the serve. I thought I was cramping, so I looked over to my box and I said, No, I'm cramping. I thought it was nerves or something. Yeah, I don't think it was a cramp.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297