With brutal honesty, Thanasi Kokkinakis has admitted that maybe he wasn’t your best option to tackle the important thing opening singles match in Australia’s crushing Davis Cup last defeat.
“Unfortunately, I was pretty much useless in this finals,” lamented the Adelaide star after his 6-2 6-4 hammering by Denis Shapovalov ignited Canada’s 2-0 march to their first-ever world males’s staff championship title.
Kokkinakis, who’d additionally misplaced in straight units to Croatia’s Borna Coric in Australia’s semi-final win, admitted that he’d been nervous, wasn’t match sharp and was low on confidence going into Sunday’s (Monday AEDT) showdown.
It begged the query as as to if captain Lleyton Hewitt ought to have as an alternative chosen Jordan Thompson, who’d been unbeaten over each quarter-final and semi-final ties earlier within the week, for the opening singles spot.
Even Kokkinakis admitted which may have been a greater choice, somewhat than simply choosing Thompson for a doubtlessly decisive doubles contest which finally wasn’t even wanted after Felix Auger-Aliassime wrapped up the win together with his singles win over Alex de Minaur.
“Do I think I’m singles match-hardened? No. Maybe Thommo was the better option – but the guys believed in me maybe more than I believed in myself at times today,” conceded a dark Kokkinakis.
“We’ve got a great team, a well-rounded team, but maybe there was a question of whether Thommo could back up and potentially play both (singles and doubles).
“Who is aware of? I may have performed the doubles, however after what the blokes confirmed within the final match (in opposition to Croatia), I’ve a whole lot of confidence in them and the best way they performed.
“Yeah, unfortunately I was pretty much useless in this finals, but hopefully I can train hard and be available and get selected next year.”
The 26-year-old, who began the 12 months with a bang as he gained his first ATP title in his residence city occasion in Adelaide, admitted to being hit by nerves earlier than the match.
“Yeah, I was nervous. I was nervous in my last one, as well. I’m just a bit off the pace at the moment. I haven’t played enough tennis,” mentioned Kokkinakis, who hadn’t performed a tour singles match for eight weeks earlier than Malaga.
“Haven’t found my confidence yet. I have had a fair bit of time off, and I’m just a long way behind at the moment as far as match-play and being match-hardened goes … yeah, not good enough today.
“I hit the ball nicely in follow, but it surely’s simply completely different whenever you go on the market and play a match with competitiveness.
“I haven’t been able to play like I know I can. I guess I have done it before where I have played well on not many matches, but unfortunately I’m just, I don’t know, pretty flat, to be honest.”
