South Adelaide's Pan Kokkinakis switches from tennis to football

A DESIRE to test himself at the highest level possible while holding down a job has led Pan Kokkinakis to switch from tennis to football.

A DESIRE to test himself at the highest level possible while holding down a job has led Pan Kokkinakis to switch from tennis to football.

The 22-year-old talent with a racquet has played a handful of SANFL reserves games for South Adelaide after switching sports.

Kokkinakis will soon begin work as a structural engineer after finishing his studies.

He knew that he would not be able to commit the time required to attempt to play tennis internationally but still felt a desire to play elite sport.

Pan hopes to get a full preseason under his belt at the Panthers next year and push for a league position in 2014.

"It's a lot harder to manage a tennis career when you're part-time,'' Kokkinakis, of Seacombe Heights said.

"It got to the stage where I had to decide whether I wanted to really give tennis a crack or go in another direction.

"Tennis requires travel and a huge level of time commitment.

"I played football when I was younger and I enjoyed that so I decided to give it another crack.

"The SANFL is a great competition and it is a serious level of sport, which I want, but I can still hold down a job and play."

Kokkinakis stands about 196cm and has played in the ruck and up forward for South.

The older brother of junior Wimbledon doubles champion Thanasi, Kokkinakis said he was still getting used to the different fitness and movement demands of football.

Panthers football operations manager Neil Sharpe said Kokkinakis had shown promise.