ROLAND GARROS

May 25, 2026

Thanasi Kokkinakis

Press Conference

T. KOKKINAKIS/T. Atmane

6-7, 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5

THE MODERATOR: Thanasi, congratulations today. Can you tell us about the match and the atmosphere playing a home-like favorite at Roland Garros?

THANASI KOKKINAKIS: Yeah, incredible atmosphere. I knew it was going to be as soon as I was drawn up against a French player, especially like Terence who plays with a lot of energy and likes to get the crowd involved.

I've had some big wars here in Paris, and whether the crowd is for me or against me, I think I turned a few French my way, which is nice.

Yeah, the atmosphere is incredible, and that's why you play. It made me smile. I was enjoying being back out on court and playing with that energy because it's something I've missed for a year and a half. Yeah, it was good fun.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. What is it like for you when the crowd are going nuts for the opposition? Do you use it to your advantage? You don't really notice it so much? How did you overcome that?

THANASI KOKKINAKIS: I mean, you definitely notice it. I had a guy about a 30 centimeters away behind me screaming in my ear, but it's fun. I give them a smile. We get the same when we're in Australia. You play Davis Cups for and against, I've had that. I was expecting it. Yeah, in between some serves, sometimes it's tough, but again, I've had it when my opponent is serving as well.

It's just part of it. I was expecting a great atmosphere, and I got it. But, yeah, I think a few guys were kind of on my side towards the end as well from the French, so that was nice. I enjoyed it.

Q. Would you prefer a lot of noise versus no noise?

THANASI KOKKINAKIS: Oh, yeah. No noise is depressing. No one wants to play that. I've done many sessions, many practices with no noise, and it's not fun.

Q. Thanasi, I think looking back on your record, I think from the Australian Open last year to the start of this month, you'd played one match. Did it surprise you in one sense what you've achieved today, and where does this performance rate for you considering you were, I think, 2-5 in the final set, and he was serving for the match as well?

THANASI KOKKINAKIS: Yeah, I mean, to come back in Adelaide and beat a player like Korda after not playing for a year, not touching a racquet for the longest time I've never picked up a racquet. It was probably six or seven months without me actually touching a tennis racquet and having a new arm essentially and a new shoulder that I'm trying to work with and waking up every day trying to see what's normal, what I should be feeling, what I should not.

As far as my tennis level, without sounding like an idiot, I'm not that surprised. I've missed so much time in my career, and I feel like time and time again I've been able to prove and have some good wins after that time.

But I think to come back after such little tennis on a Grand Slam stage and in these conditions against a good player from France, as well, it's probably my best mental effort considering where I was.

Even a few days ago there was talks that I wasn't sure if I'd play. I had some people flying in, and I told them to stay home, because I didn't want to play a few games and something go bad, to be honest.

I was very scared, very nervous to go out there, but yeah, when I got going, I just played on energy.

Q. You were saying before this match that all the rehab you did was to put yourself in a position to play matches like this, but four and a half hours down 2-5, all of that, I'm just wondering, does that give you -- what does it give you? What kind of proof, because you were saying just a few days ago you weren't sure you were going to play, so where is your head at now? Are you able to dream even bigger?

THANASI KOKKINAKIS: Yeah, I'm not looking too far ahead. I'm looking at tomorrow morning and seeing how I'll wake up.

I've done as much as I can, and I can confidently say that from a rehab point, from a practice, obviously nothing compares to matches and playing. You're not going to go to practice for four and a half hours in the heat like that, but I've gone close.

We've done some big days to put myself in a position where I can somewhat trust it in a long match. Yeah, I just have confidently said that I've done everything I can, and if it's not enough, it's not enough.

Yeah, I said to my team, I'm going to play until Aussie open next year. If stuff is not going well and my arm doesn't feel great, then that will probably be it for me. Days like today gives me a lot of hope that that's probably not going to be it, and I can keep pushing, yeah.

Q. How was Roland, because you missed so many times, so many years not playing because of injuries? Do you feel like much more younger?

THANASI KOKKINAKIS: No (laughing). My body doesn't, I'll tell you that much. My body doesn't feel younger, but mentally probably.

It's weird. There's a lot of guys that are many years younger, but I look at how many matches they've played on tour, and it's almost double, triple mine. I really haven't played much compared to it. Even when I was younger, I never really played a full season, I think, ever.

It's weird. On one hand I feel like I've got a lot of experience because I've played a lot of the big tournaments over and over again, but if you look at my actual match count, it's very sort of rare and not many matches at all.

So that's one thing I always want to try and do at least one year before I'm done. I want to try and play a full schedule and see what happens, if my body will allow me.

For me it's the little wins and the small victories and stuff like today where that's the reason I kept trying to come back from these injuries, to have moments like that on court, because I know when I'm retired, nothing will really compare to that.

Q. The heat is a factor this year in Roland Garros. Was it a factor today in the sense that maybe as an Australian you're used to it?

THANASI KOKKINAKIS: I wasn't used to that after a year and a half out. Maybe if I had been playing a lot of tournaments, then I'd be used to it, but you know, it's always different on clay.

I was saying I don't think I've played in the day where it's felt that hot. Maybe US Open gets very hot and more humid I think, but again, especially on clay for not playing for a year and a half and on one of the side courts where, you know, it's tough.

You only get a minute as well changeover. So by the time you walk to your chair, pick up an ice towel and sit down for about 20 seconds, it's almost like that's time. I don't know. That's very tricky.

Especially on those outside courts without much cover, it feels double as hot.

Q. You served 24 aces today, so your serving action was good. Felt strong.

THANASI KOKKINAKIS: Is there a question? Thank you.

Q. The serve was good.

THANASI KOKKINAKIS: Yeah, my serve since I've come back, it's in a lot better spot even than January. Again, the test is how it's going to back up.

But when I've been fresh, I've -- I have a court in Melbourne where you can kind of test the radar and see where my serve speeds are at, and it's good. It's close to kind of where I was a few years back.

When I'm fresh, again, it's backing up after those matches. Yeah, I had a couple of things going on. I had the shoulder. I had the peck and trying to merge them all together.

If I have no pain, my serve speeds are good. So that was a big tick coming back.

Q. So much to ask you having not seen you in a while. With the shoulder and the arm and the peck and all that, how much pain are you currently in? I don't mean like this minute, but how much do you have to work? You were also indicating to see how things are tomorrow. You stopped people coming across to watch you.

THANASI KOKKINAKIS: Yeah.

Q. So the physical side of your right side, what is that situation? How are you coping?

THANASI KOKKINAKIS: I mean, it's not normal, and the hardest thing about it was I didn't really have anyone to speak to as far as they've had the surgery, this is what you should be feeling.

I've seen a bunch of doctors. I saw Rafa's doctor in January, as well, of last year before I was going for the surgery. He's, like, Ah, I don't know, I haven't really seen this before.

That was a consensus for a lot of people. They didn't really know how to act with it. You know, it's similar to somewhat a bodybuilder injury, but again, it's in a little bit of a different spot. No tennis player has done it.

The hard part with tennis is you've got to swing a racquet so many times, and to win a tournament, you've got to win five to seven matches, so it's an absolute war.

Yeah, it's not normal, but I'm trying to kind of work out what my new normal is and what I should be feeling, and if there's some soreness, is that alarm bells that stuff is going to get really bad, or it's part of the process?

Honestly I'm learning stuff every day, and every day I'm trying to work out some things to try and help it and strengthen it. It's the first thing I think when I wake up in the morning, to be honest. It does consume my life.

It's tough mentally, because a lot of times when I'm playing the opponent, I don't even care. Like, I just hope my arm is all right.

I barely hit for the last three days because I'm just like, I want to get to the start line 100% and then see what happens. Yeah, it's weird going into a match and just thinking, the opponent is the afterthought. I'm, like, how do I get there somewhat 100% and give it a crack?

Q. Any messages?

THANASI KOKKINAKIS: I don't have messages. Keep supporting me. Thank you. It's been a long ride (laughing).