‘I had steam coming out of my ears’: Kokkinakis torment in Draper defeat
Australians love a winner but sometimes an exception can be made. Thanasi Kokkinakis added to his library of misery with one of the more painful losses Melbourne Park has witnessed.
Jack Draper’s 6-7 (3), 6-3, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3 victory on Wednesday night over the Australian in four hours and 35 minutes on John Cain Arena was entertaining and intriguing, thanks to brilliant serves, remarkable stamina and precise, power hitting by both players.
But Kokkinakis’ evening of obvious physical pain from a pectoral injury and mental torment – culminating in a fluffed opportunity when serving for the match in the fourth set – would have elicited empathy from a rock.
For the 10,000 fans who urged and encouraged the Australian right up until the final moments, it was emotional punishment. For Kokkinakis it was even worse. Afterwards, he said he was “not good”. That he was “pissed”. That he was “angry”. And that was just in the first 30 seconds of his press conference.
He had shared an embrace with Draper over the net at the match’s conclusion, but couldn’t remember what he was told. “I think he said: ‘I hope you’re OK’,” Kokkinakis recalled. “I was seething. I had steam coming out of my ears. Nothing against him, I just knew my future was looking bleak.”
In the context of marathon defeats, the South Australian has had some practice. A decade ago the then-18-year-old posted an early marker at his second appearance at Melbourne Park, losing to countryman Sam Groth in five sets. Four years ago, fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas bested him again in five, ending the Australian’s determined comeback from a period of persistent injury.
Related: Draper defies Kokkinakis and partisan Australian Open crowd to win thriller
Two years ago in a match against Andy Murray on Margaret Court Arena, the Australian appeared to produce his défaite de résistance. Then, Kokkinakis served for the match at 5-3 in the third set before being pegged back and overhauled. The Australian has even lost in similar circumstances to Draper, finding himself ahead late in a three-set 2023 Davis Cup clash before allowing his opponent back in.
“I can take losing. I’m fine with losing, it’s part of it. I lose pretty much every week,” Kokkinakis said. “It’s just what it means going forward.”
In truth, over the past 12 months the 28-year-old has gone some way to dispelling his reputation as a five-set failure. He won four full-length matches in 2024 and lost just one, and came back from two sets down twice, once at Roland Garros and once at Wimbledon.
That he managed to play three five-setters in a row in Paris now looks like an even greater achievement. “I’ve had a pretty bad pec tear there for a while, there’s a lot of scar tissue build up, and essentially I can’t play back-to-back intense matches, no matter how much I train for it and try, it’s very deflating,” he said, adding the rest of his body was fine. “That’s the thing holding me back, and it’s one of the big things stopping me from being able to reach my goals.”
Despite losses for five of six homegrown hopes on Wednesday, local fans could take consolation from the one winner. Draper’s next opponent is Aleks Vukic, the Sydneysider who ousted the 22nd-seed Sebastian Korda in his own five-setter, and described it as his career’s best win.
“In terms of the atmosphere, in terms of everything, being down two sets to one against a great player in Korda, and fighting back when things weren’t looking too good for me and making my first third round,” he said. “It’s got to be.”
I can take losing. I’m fine with losing, I lose pretty much every week. It’s just what it means going forward
The outlook for Kokkinakis – who has now lost in the second round at the Australian Open six times – couldn’t be more different. What had began as a week of promise has now ended in anguish. His good friend Nick Kyrgios announced earlier in the week he may not play singles again at Melbourne Park because he can’t get his body right. The pair still aren’t sure if they will play doubles, scheduled for Thursday. Mortality is knocking.
“I know I don’t have forever left, so I don’t know how long I’m going to be out [injured], or what the future holds, even if I can get back to this point if I get [surgery] done. So I’m just [in] a lot of doubt and pretty upset,” Kokkinakis said. “One thing’s for sure I can’t keep doing what I’m doing, it’s mental torture and physical torture.”
