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AEGON CHAMPIONSHIP

June 22, 2017

Thanasi Kokkinakis

London, England

D. MEDVEDEV/T. Kokkinakis

6-2, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Of course it's not the outcome you wanted, but you seemed uncomfortable with your game throughout the whole match. What was different?
THANASI KOKKINAKIS: I was nervous the last one, as well. It's just my serve kind of got me out of a bit of trouble. Then when I was starting to hold serve, then I started to get confidence. But I was facing -- I had an easy shot to win the first game, and first game releases a lot of nerves, and I almost hit the back fence again.

I don't know. Both matches I have been really nervous, and the last one I was able to find my way out of it, but this one, it's like I wasn't even on the court. It was pretty bad.

Q. Big picture around this, trust the process?
THANASI KOKKINAKIS: Yeah, exactly. That's the hope. But it's tough. It's tough after today. He was very good. I will give him credit. He made a lot of balls. Knew how to play.

I thought I didn't play a great match against him last week, but this was worse. I don't think I played this bad before ever.

It's tough obviously with a bit of expectation after getting my best-ever win last match. Again, that's tennis. You can be up one minute and the next minute feel very far down.

So, yeah, I don't know. It was bad.

Q. How much of it was mental? How much was it physical? You have spoken about the fact that physically you have been feeling it. But also, so often when you haven't had big wins in a row, there is a bit of a mental letdown after a big one, as well.
THANASI KOKKINAKIS: For sure. I'd say it was probably 99% mental. Yeah, I'm sore, but that wasn't the reason today. My body didn't really hold me back. I'm sore, but it's normal after not playing for a while, especially on grass, getting there.

It was just mental. My serve and forehand are usually the things I rely on, and even those were off with the fairies somewhere. I don't know what it was. I couldn't put a ball in the court. It was horrible.

Q. Can you put a positive spin on it?
THANASI KOKKINAKIS: I can't. Go on.

Q. Your body feels okay?
THANASI KOKKINAKIS: Yeah. I guess I'm going to build from that, which is good. As I said, that is my goal. When people ask me, what's your goals, is the body healthy? When you play matches like that, it's tough to just focus on the body.

But, yeah, I'm going to try and improve from that, for sure.

Q. Will you try and play another tournament before Wimbledon?
THANASI KOKKINAKIS: I think I've got a couple exhibition matches lined up. I'm going to try and practice a lot, body permitting. Yeah, that's my plan immediately. Just hit more balls and try to feel as comfortable as I can.

Q. Because it was so disappointing in your own mind with today's results, is it one that would be easy to put to one side or will you dwell on it?
THANASI KOKKINAKIS: No, I'm dwelling on it big time. I wish I could put it to one side, but as tennis players, you have to have short-term memory, but for me, this one is probably going to stick around for a while until I win again probably or until I start feeling more comfortable on the court.

But as I said, again, in practice I hit the ball great this morning. I was feeling good. I come out on the court, and I don't know, I don't even feel -- it was like a pro playing against a toddler, like I didn't even know what I was doing out there.

Again, I've just got to play more matches and hopefully I get the confidence and feel more comfortable.

Q. Do matches like this worry you also ranking-wise? I mean, do you start counting how many tournaments you can protect your ranking, how many wildcards you can get?
THANASI KOKKINAKIS: Well, I said that yesterday, but the way I played today, I don't think I'll be in a future, to be honest, or below that. I just need to get better and hopefully the rankings is going to take care of itself.

The ranking thing didn't come into my head today. I was just trying to loosen up my shoulders and play free. I couldn't do it. Even in the warmup I felt tight, so I thought, this is not looking good.

Q. Obviously very disappointed today. Thinking about your junior career, have you ever experienced something similar in the past?
THANASI KOKKINAKIS: On the junior career?

Q. Yeah.
THANASI KOKKINAKIS: Well, you don't really play with this many people in juniors. It's hard to compare. And there is a lot less expectations in juniors, as well. You kind of just play out there and you're playing to be a pro. You're not already a pro. No, not like this, no.

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