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AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 16, 2018

Thanasi Kokkinakis

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

D. MEDVEDEV/T. Kokkinakis

6-2, 6-7, 7-6, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Looked like you had a couple of injuries out there. How did that impact your game?
THANASI KOKKINAKIS: Yeah, I don't know, it was interesting because I felt fine going out there. I felt really good. Then just as it was going on, I started to feel a few things.

Yeah, annoyed me. Tried to shorten the points a little bit. But pretty frustrating.

Q. New injuries?
THANASI KOKKINAKIS: Yeah, just the pec. That's all right. I wasn't sure. As I said, I felt fine going into the match. I felt it pretty early. I don't know. I don't know if it's anything serious. Got to check it out after this.

Yeah, it's all right. I was able to continue on. I don't think it's like a bad injury, which is good.

Q. Really frustrating given your history.
THANASI KOKKINAKIS: Yeah, it's just annoying. Annoying. In long matches, something happens. Again, credit to him. He was better than me. Played the big points better. He took his chances. I didn't. That's how it goes, yeah.

Q. That tiebreak going to be something that comes back to haunt you?
THANASI KOKKINAKIS: I had 3-Love. He could have lost it because he went 6-3, gave it back to me with 6-All. I think we both choked it a little bit. Trying to get free points, but it felt pretty slow out there.

Yeah, just frustrated in my returning a little bit. That was the main thing that annoyed me.

Q. Did you get a sense he was battle-hardened coming through all the matches in Sydney?
THANASI KOKKINAKIS: Definitely. As soon as I lost that third set, I knew I was in a bit of strife. I didn't feel great physically. Obviously he had a lot of matches.

Yeah, it is what it is. He's obviously played a lot more matches the past couple years. He's playing some good tennis right now. Good luck to him.

Q. Is that what it's about for you this year, getting that momentum going?
THANASI KOKKINAKIS: It's hard to look at it the way that I'm not injured, so I'm happy, but I'm not happy after I lose. Again, nothing too serious, which is good.

I have to stay on the court, keep working, play some more matches, more tournaments, keep trying to play week after week. Hopefully by then, by the next sort of slam that rolls around, I'm in better shape.

Q. A comment you made was picked up by the television broadcast.
THANASI KOKKINAKIS: Oh, God.

Q. 'My whole body is a shambles.' How frustrating is this for you, to continually run into these issues?
THANASI KOKKINAKIS: It is. There's a lot of emotion and frustration involved. Yeah, it's frustrating.

Again, I think everyone is trying to tell me the more matches I play, the better everything is going to feel once I get used to everything. I've got to look at it that way.

It is frustrating. Yeah, I don't know. At the moment when I'm playing long matches, I'm trying to peak for certain moments because I don't feel like I can put my best in every point I'm into. That's why I think there's so many ups and downs in my matches. As you can see, every Grand Slam match I've played, I've had chances, but I lost my focus and intensity. It's literally happened in everyone one of my matches.

That's frustrating. That's a little physical and mental hump I need to get over. I think when I get over that, things will open up for me.

Q. What are you going to try to do to get over that?
THANASI KOKKINAKIS: Just once I can start playing matches without injuries and feeling healthy, because I felt good in practice, then I can hopefully start being a bit more aggressive there. Yeah, I think it's just a combination of things.

I just think it's going to take a bit of time, because it's frustrating to look at. I'm searching for answers at the moment as to why I'm feeling that way sometimes. Yeah, it is what it is. Hopefully some time and a bit more hard work.

Q. There are so many blokes playing into their late 30s. Do you think, Why me? You're young and healthy.
THANASI KOKKINAKIS: Yeah, it's frustrating. Obviously it's good seeing them play longer. At the same time I'm kind of wondering to myself why.

The earlier the better for me. When I get my stuff sorted, everything physically right, I just want to start winning some important matches. I need to start doing that. I've shown glimpses of that here and there. But it's frustrating.

Q. Is the pilates helping you with the core strength?
THANASI KOKKINAKIS: My core was fine. I can't blame that. Pilates didn't help the pec too much or the calves.

Yeah, that's something I'm going to continue to do going forward, just a bunch of other stuff. When I can do that stuff easier, and I think everything else, I'll know where I can go to physically from there.

Q. Are you going to be up for Davis Cup?
THANASI KOKKINAKIS: I don't know. That's Lleyton's call obviously. A few Aussie players playing well now. We'll see. We'll see. I think I have the doubles tomorrow. I've got to try and see how I go, get some treatment and get ready for that, see how I feel there.

Yeah, I think it's good. We've had a few players putting their hand up at the moment. He's got options, which is a good thing.

Q. Tough day for the Aussies, six players have lost. Any theories?
THANASI KOKKINAKIS: Didn't know that. It hurts to say.

I don't know. I don't know what a theory is. Maybe the opponents are just better. Aussies didn't play that well. I don't know. I didn't really watch too many of them play. Hopefully the guys that lost, we can gel as one and be better tomorrow. I don't know. We'll see how it goes now.

Is he the last Aussie on today?

Q. And Ash.
THANASI KOKKINAKIS: Hopefully she gets up. They've both been playing some really good tennis for us. Hopefully they can put a couple on the board for us.

Q. Have you spoken to Bernard the last couple of days?
THANASI KOKKINAKIS: I haven't the last couple days. I walked past him after his match. He just wished me luck for the week.

I haven't had too many issues with him, to be honest. If you put media in front of people who are frustrated, things happen. Every time I've dealt with him, he's been fine, he's been good. I don't know. Hope he gets his stuff together and starts playing good because he's super talented.

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