Australian Open Tuesday, 9 February 2021 Melbourne, Victoria, Thanasi Kokkinakis Press Conference

But this one was probably a bit more just being back T. KOKKINAKIS/S. Kwon home in Australia. They hadn't obviously seen me play for a long period of time. I came on to the scene young. 6-4, 6-1, 6-1 It's definitely good to just persist, just knowing how much THE MODERATOR: Questions, please. stuff and the ups and downs mentally that it's given me to come back. So, yeah, just a massive relief and real Q. Can you talk to us about the match and how it appreciative of the crowd. feels to be in the second round of the ? Q. What did it feel like when it was finally done, the match was won? Did you feel like, would you use THANASI KOKKINAKIS: Yeah, first of all, been a while. the word "relief" or a case of this has been a long Feels very good. Yeah, massive relief. Just happy to get time coming or what? in front of the crowd again and play on that court. It was a great experience. Had a lot of friends and family there THANASI KOKKINAKIS: All of the above, yeah. I was watching. They probably made up about 90% of the just stoked. Yeah, very happy. Massive amount of relief, stands, so appreciative of that. and, yeah, it was a bit emotional. As I said, the people around me know the ups and downs what I have been Just playing with that energy and that crowd and being through mentally just trying to get to the starting line of able to win, so much work behind the scenes, so much the tournament, and feel like I can compete. pain and just, yeah, just a massive relief. Just, yeah, relief, relief would be the biggest thing. Q. You say it's been a while, six years; is that right? Q. Physically how are you at the moment? Is it best THANASI KOKKINAKIS: Yeah. in a long time? How do you measure that?

Q. You looked like at the end you were kind of THANASI KOKKINAKIS: Well, yeah, I mean, touch soaking it in a bit, maybe emotions coming through. wood, I feel really good. I don't want to speak too soon. But I'm happy with how I pulled up so far. I think waking THANASI KOKKINAKIS: Yeah, definitely. At 5-Love, up tomorrow I'll know a lot more. obviously I didn't want to think about the finish line but I thought about it from the first set, I was like, That's all But, no, definitely happy I've got it done in the way I did. right, just get the next one. I got the next one, I was like, Obviously win the first, and then the quicker I can win the Still got one more. So at 5-Love I felt this massive roar better to give myself a chance. and massive cheer from the crowd. I started tearing up, it was a bit of a soft moment. Body feels really good at the moment, so, yeah, can't wait to get out there and have another crack. Yeah, it was just so much stuff behind the scenes to get back to that point. Not a lot of people realize apart from Q. You said after the first set you were already kind my team and friends and family. Yeah, definitely got a bit of thinking about the finish line and you seemed to emotional. speed up from then on. Second and third sets, did you feel like you found some rhythm? Q. Have you ever felt that sort of emotion before in a match? THANASI KOKKINAKIS: That 5-4 game obviously to consolidate the first set was huge for me, getting that THANASI KOKKINAKIS: The closest I have felt to that monkey off my back a little bit. And then I knew he was a was sort of the US Open, the win I had when I hadn't won good player, I knew he was a good ball striker, so I had a slam match in a while. So in 2019 I had that. to try to get on top because I know when he's feeling confident he plays really well. My serve was a massive

104489-1-1063 2021-02-09 10:56:00 GMT Page 1 of 3 part, and I thought I kept my composure very well and I right physically. stayed level-headed throughout the whole match. There's definitely been ups and downs for sure. It's been That was a big key. And I just kept trying to get breaks very, very challenging the last few years. It always is. and take the pressure off myself and keep my foot down. It's a massive, massive journey. And I know my team And I haven't won a match I think in level in and family know kind of what exactly I go through. three sets, I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure that's the case. And it's hard to do, win three straight sets against So it's been really hard. But again, I look on the anyone playing this tournament, so I'm really happy and moments where I've had success and the feelings I got the fashion that I did it. from being on court and having good wins. I use that to kind of fuel me for as long as I can. I know I can't do this Q. Next round you don't officially know your forever. So even if I'm just struggling at certain moments opponent yet but one man is two sets up at the I kind of hang on those moments to kind of push me moment, Stefanos looking very impressive. What through and just give it a crack. can you tell us about what sort of showdown that might be? Q. There has been a lot of comments on social media about your all-black outfit. Are you sponsored THANASI KOKKINAKIS: Yeah, it's going to be exciting. or is that an outfit of your choice? Obviously a phenomenal player, one of the favorites for this tournament. It's just going to be fun. We practiced a THANASI KOKKINAKIS: No, it came out special. Went few years ago in the past. I kind of know his family. I've to Chadstone, bought some $6 tees and went to work. I had some meals in Nice or Monaco with his family. Just just felt comfortable in it. I've tried to order some more obviously both being Greek, we get along. online but they got canceled and they didn't make it through to South Yarra. It's tough out here, man. It's not Yeah, it's going to be exciting. He's obviously been able what it used to be. That's all right, blue collar way. to stay healthy the last few years. And I kind of saw him when he was 60, 70 in the world and obviously knew he I'll bring it back at some point. Hopefully I can keep was going to be a great player then. playing good and that will come. I'm not too worried. If I feel good out there with my footwear, my So yeah, I just can't wait to get out there. I'm not sure clothing, and feel like I look good, I will try and play good. what court we'll play on, I'm sure it will be a pretty big We will see what happens. one. I'm hoping there is a decent crowd and can get rowdy, have some Greek fans, Aussie fans, and, yeah, Q. (Question off mic about laundry.) hopefully it's pretty loose. THANASI KOKKINAKIS: AO or my dryer, but it kind of Q. He's usually pretty popular here. How do you shrank some clothes and turned into a bit of a crop top. I think the crowd split will be? don't know how much I'll be putting in the dryer again.

THANASI KOKKINAKIS: For the crowd to get behind Q. Last year was probably the first time where you you you actually have to play. He's done that. That's were out of action but everyone else was, as well, probably my next step. because of the pandemic. I'm wondering, how did you deal with last year and what were you doing? So, yeah, I don't know. He's popular, but, yeah, I don't mind my support either. It's going to be fun. Hopefully it THANASI KOKKINAKIS: Yeah, it was pretty boring. I'm can just be rowdy, yeah. not gonna lie. It wasn't exciting. I played a lot of PlayStation, a lot of time in the rehab room. Just trying to Q. It's been so long. How do you maintain a level? make it through, I think, like everyone.

THANASI KOKKINAKIS: Tennis or mentally? Obviously being sick to start the year my first goal was to try and put some weight back on and look respectable in Q. Both, really. You know, you're on a high at the public. And then from there, I just tried to build my way moment with this win, and to keep that and not suffer up. And I spent a lot of time training and trying to stay any sort of a little bit of a letdown maybe going into focused mentally and physically and just build up. the next one. And I knew obviously my Aussie Open was the next sort THANASI KOKKINAKIS: Well, I don't know if it should of carrot. So I was just trying to play good tennis and get be this way, but my mentality goes how my body goes. If in good enough shape to compete here. I'm feeling good physically, mentally I'm happy. Because I know what I can do on the tennis court if I'm feeling all Short term, training and then PlayStation. That's how I

104489-1-1063 2021-02-09 10:56:00 GMT Page 2 of 3 spent most of my time. Nothing too exciting. Wasn't very fun.

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