Galery

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2015 is beginning with good news for the fans of Grigor Dimitrov - he, along with his partner Thanassi Kokkinakis, has managed to defeat with a tiebreak (6:3, 3:6, 10:8) their rivals Jeremy Chardy and Lukasz Kubot. The flying start is in favour of far less famous Kokkinakis who participated in the tournament with a wild card. "Tennis fans in Australia know me well as I have a pretty successful career in the junior category, both at home and abroad. Television has recently begun to talk about me as well, so my name is not unknown," said Thanassi about himself.

     Indeed, Kokkinakis has two major finals behind him, namely at the US Junior Open 2013, at which he conceded the first place to the magnificent Croat Borna Coric and at Australian Junior Open 2013, at which he lost to our old acquaintance Nick Kyrgios. Also in 2013, the star pair of young Australian players of Greek origin Nick Kyrgios and Thanassi Kokkinakis won the junior championship for doubles at Wimbledon.
     "I was born in Adelaide, my father Trifonas is from Pilia and my mother Panagiota from Arcadia in the Peloponnese. I became keen on tennis due to my brother Panagiotis, who was a great player, but gave up professional tennis to continue his studies. I watched him playing tennis when I was a child and it became my favourite sport," says Thanassi, who believes that he shines with his own brilliance and is in no way inferior to Nick Kyrgios.
     "In order for a sportsman to advance he must have the unconditional support of his family. This is true for Thanassi as well. Our family is next to him. We help him, support him, but try to keep both of his feet on the ground as well," says his father Trifonas Kokkinakis. Currently, Thanassi is in the 149th place in the world's top-ranked men but his marshal’s baton will soon take him far ahead.
     The next rivals of Dimitrov and Kokkinakis are the third in the scheme, namely Robert Lindstedt and Marcin Matkowski.