Google News
Thanasi Kokkinakis, 25, said he went through the offseason without any setbacks. Kokkinakis achieved a career-high of No. 69 in 2015 before he started suffering various kind of injuries.
“This is probably the first pre-season I’ve had in a long time without any hiccups as well, which is massive,” Kokkinakis told The First Serve.
Last year, Kokkinakis competed in more than 20 tournaments for the first time in six years. “I knew it was going to be a gruelling, grind of a year,” Kokkinakis said. Kokkinakis is now ranked at No. 171 in the world and his goal is to return to the top-100 in 2022.
“My goal is 100% to get back into the top 100 pretty quickly and I’m not stopping there,” Kokkinakis exclaimed.
Kokkinakis hoping for an Australian Open wildcard
Kokkinakis received a wildcard into Adelaide but he wasn’t told anything about the Australian Open.
Kokkinakis enjoyed a good 2021 season and he is a strong candidate to receive an Australian Open wildcard. “I haven’t been told anything,” Kokkinakis revealed. “When Wally (Masur) called me and gave me the Adelaide one, I obviously asked him about the AO and what was going ahead.
I just said, mate honestly I hope I’m not having this conversation with you in 12 months time. Hopefully, this is the last time if I get one that I need one. “I don’t really want to make a case for myself, but I feel like I won a lot of matches this year.
I think winning more matches than anyone who’s up for a wildcard this year and being number one in the race puts me in a pretty good position”. Kokkinakis thinks he has done enough to receive an Australian Open wildcard.
“I think I’ve done enough, I hope I have. I love the support playing in Melbourne. It's an unbelievable atmosphere and I feel like I’ve had some of my best wins here. I’d love one (a wildcard). ” Kokkinakis said.