AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 27, 2022

Thanasi Kokkinakis

Nick Kyrgios

Press Conference

KYRGIOS-KOKKINAKIS/Granollers-Zeballos

7-6, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: How does it feel to be in your first senior Grand Slam final?

THANASI KOKKINAKIS: Yeah, pretty surreal to be honest. I don't think it's what we expected definitely when we entered the draw. We always kind of play to enjoy ourselves. That's the thing first and foremost. Then every win we have is a bonus.

Yeah, just kind of been taking it match by match, soaking up the atmosphere and the crowd. We're in a final. Didn't really expect it. To do it with a good mate like Nick, yeah, wouldn't want anything else.

NICK KYRGIOS: Yeah, feels good. I don't know. I'm excited. I don't want to repeat what Thanasi said. I'm just looking forward to going out there again and having a chance to play in front of that crowd. Win or lose it's going to be a fun experience.

This whole week has been insane. I feel like every time I go to the court it's like my last day. We're playing all these advanced doubles pairs. I'm not expecting to win. Then we keep pulling a rabbit out of the hat.

I'm going to just keep going with the flow, I guess.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. What are you expecting in the final coming up against a couple of other Australians with the crowd?

NICK KYRGIOS: You answer that question. How do you think it's going to go?

Q. I think you've had generally more in your corner than them. I'm just curious whether you anticipate they'll still be in your corner as much as they have been.

THANASI KOKKINAKIS: Hopefully. Wouldn't be against the idea. At the end of the day they can support who they want to support. Hopefully they're for us. We couldn't have asked for anything more as the crowd support so far.

Yeah, there was a few in their match, a lot in our match. We'll see. Hopefully that tells a story.

Q. Another one on the crowd. You played all through up until today on the courts where you can get people in on grounds passes. Today was like a discounted center court pass. The finals is going to be 500 bucks a ticket. Do you think that might have an impact? How are you going to rev up a crowd?

NICK KYRGIOS: These questions are so depressing. We have four Aussies in the final. Can we stop dividing which crowd is going to go for who? It's just amazing we got four Aussies in the final. Ash doing her thing. Dylan's last Australian Open. Can we up the energy a little bit? It's fucking awesome. Can we have some hype questions? Because I'd rather just walk out.

THANASI KOKKINAKIS: Hopefully we can get as many people in the stadium as possible. Sorry.

NICK KYRGIOS: Jesus.

THANASI KOKKINAKIS: If that means hopefully -- I don't know, Craig might not be happy with this -- but if that means dropping a couple prices so we can fill the stands, whatever will get it packed or whatever he's allowed. The more the better. The atmosphere would be unreal.

That's honestly what we've been playing for all week. The wins are a bonus. But to see kind of the traction it's gotten and the energy it's gotten, and how much everyone is supporting, that's what we thrive off of. So hopefully we can have that.

NICK KYRGIOS: The people are just getting out and about, following Australian athletics.

THANASI KOKKINAKIS: Honestly, winning is a second. It sounds stupid, but winning has been our second priority every time. We hope to have fun, enjoy ourselves, enjoy our time on court. Hopefully they feel like they've paid good money to watch us.

NICK KYRGIOS: Exactly.

Q. This week you spoke a lot of how you changed the perception of doubles tennis this week. Obviously there's a lot of attention. You were today on another court. The atmosphere was quite intense. There were some comments from Michael Venus, some negative comments.

Today I found it very much more balanced. Most of the opponents, you also, grew up in this sport. It's a silent sport with much more tradition. How can we find the balance between this new atmosphere like a festival and a tradition of tennis? It's a bit difficult for some of the players.

NICK KYRGIOS: I mean, look, at the end of the day I think tennis is a sport, as of now, that's never been talked about as much. I think the Australian Open, for the sport, we need more attention, we need more viewers. My goal is to only bring new fans that may not be following tennis to watch tennis. If they flick on a match and they have Thanasi and I playing in an entertaining doubles match, they know nothing about tennis, if they watch that match just then, they probably would tune in next time. That's what I'm about. That's what I want to bring. I think that's how the sport is going to survive.

As to Michael Venus, I'm not going to destroy him in this media conference room right now. But Zeballos and Granollers are singles players. They've had great careers. I respect them a lot more than I respect Michael Venus.

I think the balance was there today. The quality of tennis was amazing. I think the festival atmosphere was still there. I think they embraced it. They knew it was an incredible atmosphere. Zeballos took a selfie with us before we walked out. That's how you embrace an atmosphere. Do you know what I mean? Do you remember that?

THANASI KOKKINAKIS: Yeah.

NICK KYRGIOS: You're not losing a match and then getting salty about it afterwards. It's ridiculous.

THANASI KOKKINAKIS: I think for the most part it's not us trying to disrespect the opponents. It's us trying to get the crowd going to just increase the atmosphere. Sometimes the opponents take it personally. That's what happened with the Croatians that we played, the No. 1 seeds. That's obviously Michael took offense to that.

We're not doing anything directly to them to try and disrespect. We're just trying to get the crowd even more hyped, and then some of them take it personally.

NICK KYRGIOS: If you asked Zeballos and Granollers, I think they would both say that that was probably one of the most entertaining matches they've probably played in front of a crowd.

Q. What are your immediate thoughts on coming up against Max and Matt? They've had a great week as well.

THANASI KOKKINAKIS: Yeah, they obviously play a lot more doubles than we do. They almost I think play every week doubles. I think I played maybe two doubles events last year or three doubles events max. We definitely focus more on our singles, but I think we know what we're capable of when we play together, playing with good energy.

Again, it's going to be a really tough match. I don't know if we're favorites or not. I wouldn't say so. They play doubles, as I said, every week. They're real polished at net, really great doubles players. It's obviously going to be tough.

I think if we play how we've been playing, play with that energy, hopefully feed off the crowd again, play relaxed and free, we can do well.

Q. Why don't you tell us what's happening inside in the team when big decisions are happening, 4-2, Nick has to serve. Who is the captain of the team? How the decisions are made?

NICK KYRGIOS: I wouldn't say any of us are captain of the team. I think we both lean on each other at certain times. When he's returning and when he's serving, I have full confidence in his abilities. He's beaten some of the best players in the world. I know what he's capable of. I've seen it time and time again.

I think when one of us is nervous or when the other one is losing their head a little bit, we kind of lean on each other. If I seem a bit down, low on energy, I'll try to raise him up a little bit, he's trying to calm me down, which is very tough at times (laughter). I've got an issue.

THANASI KOKKINAKIS: You did well today (smiling).

NICK KYRGIOS: I don't know if we have a leader. We just lean on each other and try to keep our energy up.

Q. It's a great story. All of Australia is getting around it. Can you both give a few words on your friendship, where it grew, how it blossomed. Seems like the chemistry on and off has captivated us all.

THANASI KOKKINAKIS: I think it kind of fell into our laps a little bit. We were really young, won our regional events. We went to Canberra. I think I have told this story a few times. Played a Kids Cup event. That was the first time I saw Nick. He was wearing a lot of Jordan gear. I loved my NBA back then.

We were a few of the top kind of in our age group for Australia. We just ended up traveling a lot together, representing Australia together from a young age, kind of developed all the way through. We played Counter-Strike till 3 a.m. in Europe sometimes. We love our NBA. We just talk rubbish to each other.

We're different but we are similar in a way as well. We just get along. I think that's pretty much all there is to it.

Q. You spoke about how those people who aren't really tennis fans see the entertainment, they're tennis fans all of a sudden. You have the purists who like tradition, things stay the way they've always been. Can the two coexist?

NICK KYRGIOS: I think I played pretty good tennis in the past. I've beaten pretty much every player that's picked up a racquet. I've obviously had to play a certain level of tennis. It's not like I'm going out there putting on a clown suit and creating a circus. I have also played, won titles, won big titles, I have played the traditional way. I think now I'm able to channel a different, like, fan base.

I think it's only positive in my opinion.

THANASI KOKKINAKIS: I think people just got to be open. You're always trying to develop a sport and grow a sport. Of course, you got to keep it within the boundaries. If people are so narrow-minded they can't see this is bringing a lot of fans and a lot of eyes, I think that is their problem honestly.

NICK KYRGIOS: I think the quality of tennis was pretty good today, don't you think?

THANASI KOKKINAKIS: That is what it is about. It's about having a good product on court that people actually come and enjoy. You can't please everyone. Hopefully the majority are happy with what they're seeing.

Q. When you're on the court and the crowd is going crazy, what does it feel like for you guys? Is it goosebump stuff? Can you hear yourselves thinking? What does that actually feel like?

NICK KYRGIOS: It's very special. I think to be able to control a crowd like that, not many players can do that. I think I feel like we've been very embraced. They could turn around got give us any energy. They know we're putting on a show, bringing energy.

I wouldn't say it's goosebump's. I do feel like we do enjoy it. It kind of makes us rise to the occasion like the match point. He hit an unbelievable lob I think. The clapping and the roaring before that point helped you.

THANASI KOKKINAKIS: Yeah. Definitely gets us going. As I said before, kind of when we're in the match, I don't feel like the goosebump's, but you get excited. I think it's more before the match, the butterflies you get when you walk out there, kind of in anticipation for the crowd's roar when you come out. I think that's kind of what triggers you a bit.

Q. I know juniors was ages ago. What do you remember of your run together to the Wimbledon title eight and a half years ago?

NICK KYRGIOS: Being a set and a break up (laughter).

THANASI KOKKINAKIS: I knew you were going to say that.

NICK KYRGIOS: I don't remember. We got in trouble for wearing Wimbledon headbands. That's all I remember.

THANASI KOKKINAKIS: That is right. We had pink headbands on. As I said, it's more about having fun. We were down a set and a break first round and then big fella put me on his back carried me to the title. Forever in debt.

NICK KYRGIOS: Just put you on the back like today. Blew a disc.

Q. Thanasi, why do you think these situations bring out the best in Nick?

THANASI KOKKINAKIS: He's grown up in a team environment. As I said before, he obviously loves his basketball. Having someone to lean on. He does a good enough job by himself, that's for sure. Sometimes when things aren't going right, lose his temper, I'm there to calm him down. I think it helps both of us for sure.

I think it's just having somebody he can kind of talk to, relay his feelings when he's on court.

NICK KYRGIOS: Aw.

THANASI KOKKINAKIS: No worries.

I try to be a steady head out there for him (smiling). Also don't want to take away that energy and that fire because I think that's what makes Nick Nick. If that makes sense.

NICK KYRGIOS: That's the cutest answer I've ever heard.

THANASI KOKKINAKIS: I've got you.