KOKKINAKIS DREAMING OF NADAL CLASH
THANASI Kokkinakis is daring to dream about a second crack at Rafael Nadal, eight years after facing the 20-time grand slam champion on Rod Laver Arena.
The resurgent Australian was contesting an Adelaide International semi-final on Friday night and drew a qualifier in his Australian Open first-round match – but the potential Nadal clash awaits in the second round.
Their only meeting to date was in 2014, after Kokkinakis won his debut Australian Open match in four sets over Dutchman Igor Sijsling.
Nadal was the world No.1 at the time and won 6-2 6-4 6-2 inside two hours, but Kokkinakis earned three break points and remembers the match as “a pretty cool experience”.
“I played two days before against Igor Sijsling – my first grand slam win – and the emotions were just off the charts,” he said.
“I was 17 at the time, so I was pretty raw, but I remember it being that hot that day and also that hot when I played Rafa that they had to close the roof.
“We ended up playing on Rod Laver (Arena) and I thought I didn’t do too badly. Honestly, I had, like, little sniffs here and there.
“Obviously, he was a way better player but I had a couple of little chances.”
A foot injury and then contracting Covid-19 meant Nadal had not played a competitive match for five months before winning last week’s Melbourne Summer Set title.
But his effort to defeat American Maxime Cressy in the Melbourne final showed he was primed to contend for a second Australian Open title.
“He’s so resilient. What he’s been able to do over the years is nothing short of impressive,” Kokkinakis said.
“Just to stay motivated after all he’s done; to just keep wanting more and wanting to play – it just shows the love of the game and he’s one of the best competitors there is.”
There could have been a second meeting with Nadal at the 2019 US Open, but Kokkinakis tore a pec
I thought I didn’t do too badly. I had, like, little sniffs
Thanasi Kokkinakis
toral muscle in his first-round victory over Ilya Ivashka and had to withdraw from the event.
Kokkinakis, now 25, said he was “pretty shattered” to miss out on that opportunity, on Arthur Ashe Stadium.
He already boasts the scalps of some of the world’s best players, including Roger Federer, Milos Raonic and Tomas Berdych, and would love to add Nadal to the list.
“I’ll focus on here and I’m not looking past the qualifier, because obviously there are a lot of great players,” he said.
“But it’d be good if I could win and get another shot at (Nadal).”