Australian Open 2022: All the news and action from Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis’ doubles charge
The Nick Kyrgios-Thanasi Kokkinakis show has become the hottest ticket in town and, after another knockout performance, its star has a message for the ‘dying’ sport of tennis.
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Tennis is paying the price for embracing Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and nobody else, with the game’s No.1 entertainer Nick Kyrgios hoping his charge towards a shock Australian Open doubles title helps breathe fresh life into a “dying” sport.
The Kyrgios-Thanasi Kokkinakis pairing has evolved into must-watch viewing after the unlikely stars stunned the No.1 seeds and No.15 seeds inside three days to charge into the quarter-finals as the tournament’s giant killers.
Lines snaked outside a capacity Kia Arena on Sunday afternoon, with all 5000 seats gone long before the Aussie baseline bandits hit the court.
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“I saw the TV ratings up like 45 per cent, mate, let’s just get this clear,” Kyrgios said.
“Tennis has done a really poor job with accepting personalities in the past, they have kind of really only marketed three players for the last decade and now it’s kind of caught up with them.
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“Hence they have tried to push some of the Next Gen guys, which I think some of them are really exciting, I really like the two young Canadians (Felix Auger-Aliassime and Denis Shapovalov), I think they can really do some special things in the sport.
“But tennis has really struggled to embrace different personalities, like when people go about it differently
“You look at the match me and (Daniil) Medvedev played, you couldn’t have two polar opposite kind of personalities going up against it, but the actual quality of tennis was still to a pretty good level, and it was fun.
“I think tennis just needs to push that.”
Doubles legend Todd Woodbridge – who won 16 majors – had urged Kyrgios and Kokkinakis to take their golden chance for a slam seriously, and the boys declared they wanted to go all the way nine years after they won the junior Wimbledon title together.
“I feel like (we’re) favourites,” Kyrgios said.
“It’s probably the best doubles we’ve played together.”
Last year they said their split of on-court talk was 90 per cent social and 10 per cent tennis.
Now that has changed by the maturing mates, although Kyrgios was at his cheeky best in the on-court interview after the 6-4 4-6 6-4 win.
“We’re winning it,” he declared.
“Was it hard picking apart two of the world’s best doubles pairs inside three days?
“Oh man, it’s been pretty easy.”
Kokkinakis, unsurprisingly, spoke with a touch more seriousness.
“I’ve known the big fella since he was a chubby kid from Canberra. He’s slim and looks good now,” Kokkinakis said.
“Tell Craig (AO boss Craig Tiley) to keep scheduling us here (outside courts), this atmosphere is nuts.”
That atmosphere was almost like a third player on the court. Kyrgios controlled the volume and cranked it to the max on break points.
These two lovable larrikins are doing it for the Victorian crowds, and they’re doing it with a smile.
When Kyrgios fluffed the easiest of smashes in the tense third set he burst into a fit of laughter.
Rewind two weeks ago and fitness was Kyrgios’s biggest problem as he fought off Coronavirus.
“I was sleeping 17 hours a day. I couldn’t breathe, I was coughing and really doubting … how I would be pulling up for the Australian Open,” he said.
Fitness has never been his forte, but Kyrgios has now been on court last Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday, with a dinner or two at Nobu squeezed in between.
His five singles and doubles matches have totalled a gruelling nine hours and 32 minutes.
The men’s doubles final follows the women’s singles final on Saturday night.
Boy, if the Special Ks manage to crash the ultimate ‘Barty Party’, it would mark one hell of a day for tennis in this country.
Special Ks: The making of tennis’ grand circus
— Joe Barton
They’re the rock stars of the tennis circuit – the Special Ks who have turned the tennis world on its head this week.
Nick Kyrgios and great mate Thanasi Kokkinakis hit Melbourne Park like a tsunami, wreaking havoc, promising all-night benders, ruffling feathers and raising eyebrows on and off the court – and not just by dumping the top seeds out of the men’s doubles draw.
Kyrgios has a legion of fans who swarm his matches, turning crowds there into ‘a zoo’, while the pair boast on-court antics that enrage opponents and delight fans, and display brilliant play that rides the razor edge between dazzle and disrespect.
Speak to any number of players about Kyrgios and they’ll say he’s a great player off the court. For such a divisive figure in the sport, Kyrgios is genuinely popular within the locker room.
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Andy Murray is among the most respected players on tour, and Kyrgios counts him as a close mate. He’s spoken this week of a budding ‘bromance’ with world No.1 Novak Djokovic, who he’d previously clashed with.
Even tournament favourite Daniil Medvedev, who was visibly irritated by the superstar’s antics in their round two blockbuster, won’t say a bad word about the controversial Aussie star’s off-court qualities.
“Nick is I think a good guy outside the court,” the Russian world No.2 said.
“On the court he’s an entertainer. It doesn’t mean he’s bad. But, yeah, it’s a big show.”
That big show has rattled the cages of Medvedev, England’s Liam Broady – who described the experience as ‘absolutely awful’ – as well as Croatian world No.1s Mate Pavic and Nikola Mektic.
And you can throw in an army of talk-back radio callers who will never be won over by Kyrgios, Kokkinakis or their brash, in-your-face tennis.
Where Kyrgios goes, the circus follows.
On Saturday he claimed he’d been threatened by members of the Croatian team, who wanted to fight after the doubles upset.
“Just letting you know after yesterday’s chop fest in doubles my opponents coach and trainer proceeded to threaten to fight in the players gym – tennis is a soft, soft sport,” Kyrgios tweeted,
“All because I moved and hit them with a tennis ball.”
While we’re yet to hear anything from the Croatian side to confirm or deny the suggested punch on, one thing is certain: broadcasters and tournament organisers won’t want anything to change.
With Kyrgios out of the singles event, ratings through the second week will be missing the sugar hit that his matches bring – with even his doubles, normally a ratings graveyard, bringing huge numbers in for Channel 9.
By Saturday morning, Kyrgios was up and about for an early practice session and, as ever, the fans flocked to watch tennis’ great entertainer have a hit.
His pull is undeniable. Whether it’s to watch him win, lose, hit tweeners, smash racquets or bomb aces, he’s pure ratings gold.
“This is an entertainment product. Tennis is not just a sport,” said Herald Sun columnist Sam Groth on Saturday.
“We think it’s what happens on the court. It’s about getting people through the gates. It’s about selling tickets and entertainment.
“These guys bring that. If the coaches don’t like that it’s on them.”
Earlier this week the rumblings started up about Kyrgios’ plans to walk away from the tennis circuit this year. It’s a cyclical storyline that Kyrgios has no interest in diffusing – merely offering that he’ll “probably” be back playing tennis next year, but no guarantees.
But for now, the circus continues on Sunday, when the Special Ks take on 15th seeds Gonzalo Escobar and Ariel Behar – who will need to come armed with more than just clear eyes, full hearts and a bag of tricks.
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