Paris - When Nick Kyrgios was making history with his stunning Wimbledon win over Rafael Nadal last year, Thanasi Kokkinakis was losing a first round match in the wilds of Illinois.
Almost 12 months on, 19-year-old Kokkinakis is in the world top 100 and was Saturday mixing it with world number one Novak Djokovic at the French Open.
The Australian may have been swept aside by the top seed, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4, but the teenager believes he's on the right track.
"I don't think I need to change too much what I'm doing. I think I'm on a good path," said Kokkinakis, who was playing in the third round of a Grand Slam for the first time.
He admits that Kyrgios, just a year older at 20, is an inspiration especially after his compatriot stunned Nadal at Wimbledon on his way to the last-eight.
Kyrgios was 19 and ranked 144.
At the same time, Kokkinakis was getting beaten by Farrukh Dustov in the first round of a second-tier Challenger event in Winnetka, a small town just north of Chicago best known for its location in the Home Alone movie franchise.
"I was like, wow, what am I doing?," Said Kokkinakis of Kyrgios's win.
"I had a look at it and I worked hard to put myself in these positions to play greatest players on big courts."
Despite Saturday's defeat against the world number one, in a match where he failed to carve out a single break point, he believes he learnt valuable lessons which will stand him in good stead with the grasscourt season and Wimbledon fast approaching.
"He (Djokovic) makes so many balls. He covers the court so well. He doesn't really play very high-risk tennis," explained the teenager.
"For me as well to beat someone like that, you have to play winners or go for your shots and maybe I pressed a little bit too much.
"But as I get stronger and fitter, I won't have to go for as many winners against him."
AFP
