Australian Open: Kyrgios and Kokkinakis - "Bring tennis to a new level"
Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis are the big crowd pullers in Melbourne in doubles. Now they want the title.
by Florian Goosmann
last edit: Jan 24, 2022, 01:08 pm
Thanasi Kokkinakis and Nick Kyrgios were asked after reaching the quarter-finals whether they would reach a new dimension in the doubles department - and Nick Kyrgios struggled to find an answer. "We're taking the game to a new level," he began with a laugh, "and not just in doubles."
He saw the ratings for their second-round match (here Kokkinakis/Kyrgios had beaten the top seeded Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic and almost caught another fight ), said Kyrgios, "and it went up 45 percent, to be clear." It's good for the sport, says Kyrgios, "we need it."
Kokkinakis and Kyrgios: True Friendship
"We're just different from the typical doubles players," continued Kokkinakis. "At the end of the day it's about entertainment, he (Kyrgios) is a bit more of a showman but those are just our personalities. And we just complement each other really well. I like to play with him, it's so much fun. And we get outside of the pitch so well. And the fans and people in front of the TV can see that kind of friendship. It's real. We're having fun outside, the crowd goes along with it and that's what makes it so different. A Davis Cup atmosphere, everyone Sometimes we have more spectators than players in singles."
Kyrgios: "Value personalities more"
Kyrgios was also asked where he saw tennis in five or ten years. "Tennis has done a pretty poor job of appreciating personalities in the past," he explained. "They've actually marketed three players in the last ten years and now it's going there." Now you're trying to push some of the NextGen people, "and some are very exciting. I like the two Canadians (Auger-Aliassime and Shapovalov) who can achieve something very special. But tennis struggles with that, different characters to appreciate."
If you look at the game between him and Medvedev, "you can hardly have more opposite guys, but the level of tennis was pretty good, but it was great fun. And at the end I shake his hand and say: 'That was too good.' But the match was just fun to watch. And tennis should push a bit more. Otherwise you have problems."
Do you agree with Nick Kyrgios? Discuss with us on our Facebook page!
laver arena